E-commerce to account for 33% of retail sales this year

An overview of retail sales by channel between 2016 and 2026.

E-commerce is expected to account for one-third (33%) of sales among chain retailers worldwide this year, rising from 23% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to data from WARC's sister company Edge by Ascential.

This growth is expected to continue in the future, with e-commerce to take an almost two-fifths (39%) share of sales in 2026. This comes amid strong online growth and stable or declining physical store sales worldwide.

Store-based retail continues to account for the majority of sales, though, and additional research shows consumers prefer a mix of online and offline shopping.

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