Global online shopper conversion rate 2018-2020

During the third quarter of 2020, 2.17 percent of global e-commerce website visits were converted into purchases, down from 2.25 percent during preceding quarter. In the United States, online shopper conversion rates amounted to 2.57 percent. Despite mobile commerce catching up in terms of page views and revenue, traditional online shopping visits via PC still hold the top spot for conversions.

Online shopper behavior

Online shopping has long since established itself as an everyday activity of online life – this holds true for both desktop and mobile. As of the first quarter of 2019, smartphones accounted for 65 percent of retail site visits worldwide but generated only 46 percent of online shopping orders. Based on mobile retail performance growth, it is only a matter of time before mobile overtakes desktop in terms of revenue generation. Due to the effects of smaller screen size, smartphone website visitor engagement has been lagging behind desktop and tablet devices. Retailers and brands have been keen to work around the mobile web’s shortcomings by releasing mobile shopping apps, offering users a more streamlined shopping experience in a controlled environment. Mobile shopping apps are not only used for making a purchase but are also increasingly part of the in-store shopping experience. According to a May 2018 survey, 57 percent of digital buyers in the United States stated that they at least sometimes used a retailer's app to check prices when shopping in that particular retailer's store. In general, mobile devices are a popular tool for in-store price comparisons or looking up further product information.