Quarterly U.S. e-commerce retail sales 2009-2021
From October to December 2021, U.S. retail e-commerce sales amounted to almost 219 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 1.7 percent increase compared to the previous quarter. Overall, retail e-commerce sales outdid the quarterly sales records registered in 2020.
Online retail provides 24 hours access to customers, as well as the possibility to shop around with ease and compare prices. Online retail sites often feature customer-written reviews in addition to the standard product information.
E-commerce in the post-pandemic era
During the second quarter of 2020, as COVID-19 spread across the globe, the U.S.'s quarterly e-commerce revenue reached 200 billion for the first time in history. In 2021, online retail sales account for ten percent of total retail in the United States. Clothing and accessories, including footwear, is one of the largest B2C e-commerce merchandise categories. Retail e-commerce sales in the United States are estimated from samples used for the Monthly Retail Trade Survey and exclude online travel services, ticket sales agencies, and financial brokers.How does B2C e-commerce work?
B2C stands for Business to Consumer and it refers to online retail, i.e. customers buying goods or services from a seller online. Some online retailers are based on brick-and-mortar stores, whereas others are purely online retailing corporations. Prerequisites for online shopping are an internet connection and a valid method of payment. After purchasing, products are usually shipped to a designated address, picked up in-store, or made available for digital distribution.Online retail provides 24 hours access to customers, as well as the possibility to shop around with ease and compare prices. Online retail sites often feature customer-written reviews in addition to the standard product information.
