Study: Quarter of online adults shop digitally on daily basis
Daily shopping online has skyrocketed by 380% in the last six years.
That’s according to a study by digital marketing agency Adtaxi, which said that online shopping frequency has exploded since 2017, with 228.9 million U.S. adults estimated to shop online this year.
As the most popular items purchased online in 2023, apparel or fashion tops the list (67%), followed by beauty or personal care products (53%), health or wellness products (51%), and groceries or food items (44%). In last place were mattresses, at 8%, and CBD at 10%. Interestingly, almost half of all Americans would buy either a home or a new or used vehicle online.
“It is not surprising that this year’s 2023 Ecommerce Survey reflects all-time highs, as online shopping has brought greater convenience, access, and personalization to consumers' lives,” said Adtaxi director of research, Murray Woronoff. “Looking back to 2017, this year's survey statistics prove that consumers prefer to shop online and are doing so more frequently.”
Other findings from Adtaxi’s “2023 Ecommerce Survey” are below.
•Convenience remains the most cited reason why U.S. consumers shop online (79%). The top three reasons customers utilize online shopping is to look at price comparisons (52%), consumer reviews (51%) and find coupons (46%).
•Nine in 10 online adults (93%) engage in e-commerce during the typical month, compared to seven to 10 back in 2017.
•Entering 2023, one in four online shoppers do so on a daily basis, compared to just 5% in 2017. Two-thirds shop online weekly, compared to one-fourth (27%) six years ago.
•When shopping online, more U.S. adults (78%) use a mobile phone than any other device type. However, adults engaged with e-commerce utilize an average of two different device types to shop online.
Nearly half (46%) shop online using a laptop, three in 10 use a tablet and only one in five use a desktop.
•Many Americans will only look at items online and not purchase (cart abandonment.) The survey results suggest consumers respond well to retargeted ads, with 88% of consumers claiming that some prompt or reminder from the business will persuade them to return to their carts.
Respondents stated the primary reasons behind revisiting their carts were offers to reduce the price or free shipping.
”The survey confirms that online shopping is viewed as essential for a majority of Americans, however, digital marketers should be aware that financial concerns are also at the forefront of consumers' minds,” said Chris Loretto, executive VP of Adtaxi. “As inflation continues, it is important for digital marketers to continue capturing the attention of digital audiences to stay top of mind when the economy inevitably rebounds. In the meantime, simple offers for free shipping or online coupons can drive consumers to action.”
Methodology
This survey was conducted online using Survey Monkey among a national sample of 1,088 adults spanning across U.S. geographic regions, income levels, gender and age. The survey was conducted on April 20th, 2023.