It’s more important than ever to consider your omnichannel retail strategy, which is the seamless integration of every customer touchpoint in person and online. As you’ll see with the omnichannel trends outlined below, consumers already engage in omnichannel shopping behaviors, and retailers are investing in technology that enables it.
Key Takeaways:
- In-store shopping is going strong post-pandemic, and is likely to remain highly relevant.
- Customers consider both online and in-store experiences important, and often combine them while shopping.
- More and more consumer spending is happening online.
- Fast (up to two days) product delivery is important to many buyers.
- Social commerce, livestream commerce, and mobile commerce are on strong upward trends.
- Automated marketing, such as push messages, often delivers massive returns on investment.
Omnichannel Statistics Overview
If you’re wondering whether consumers generally prefer shopping in person or online, the verdict is: both. Customers often prefer comprehensive omnichannel experiences when shopping—for example, many conduct research or see a product online before buying it in-store, or the other way around.
You’ll need to pay attention to all your business’ sales channels if you want to make your customers as happy (and willing to spend) as possible.
1. More than 80% of retailers believe that physical stores will remain highly relevant in commerce
Despite the increased emphasis on online shopping and interactions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, physical retail never lost its grip on the market. Once pandemic restrictions began to loosen in 2021, physical retail grew even more strongly than ecommerce. In fact, 82% of retailers believe that physical shopping isn’t going away or becoming less relevant anytime soon.
2. Three-quarters of consumers want a seamless omnichannel experience
McKinsey’s research shows that 75% of consumers want a seamless omnichannel experience while shopping and now use at least three channels in their buying journey. However, only 25% are actually satisfied with the experience they get from retailers.
Creating a satisfying experience across channels for your customers will allow your business to stand out.
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3. The metaverse may create $5 trillion in added value by 2030
McKinsey predicts that the metaverse may add $5 trillion in value in less than a decade, with specific impacts varying based on the industry. Ecommerce in particular might see an estimated impact of $2 trillion to $2.6 trillion.
With these numbers only going up over time, beefing up your business’ ecommerce offerings and online shopping experience will continue to be a good investment for the foreseeable future.
4. Nearly half of shoppers will research a product on Google before buying it in-store
Forty-five percent of survey respondents said that they would use Google to research a potential purchase before going to the physical store and buying it. Additionally, Shopify found that nearly 3 out of 5 consumers will first browse items online and then buy them in-store, which is known as webrooming.
This pattern tells you three things: first, different sales channels affect each other’s performance; second, many consumers shop carefully and prefer to know a product well before buying it; and third, consumers may choose to make their purchases in a physical store even if their prior research or browsing was done online. To maximize both your profits and your customers’ satisfaction, your business will need to have a strong presence both online and offline.
5. 54% of shoppers will look at a product in-store and then buy online
On the flip side, Shopify also found that more than 50% of consumers tend to do things the other way around: browse in-store and then buy online later (this is called showrooming). Product research happens online and in stores; that’s why it’s important for businesses to show up online and in person so you can meet shoppers wherever they are. Check out our guide to showrooming vs webrooming for more information.
6. More shoppers use retail and brand websites, rather than search engines, to look for products online
In 2021, 37% of consumers started their product search on a retail or brand website, even if they didn’t yet know exactly what they wanted to buy. Only 24% began their search on an online marketplace like Amazon, and 26% used a search engine like Google.
Learn how to appear in shoppers’ search results in our guide to ecommerce search engine optimization (SEO).
7. 24% of consumers want to interact with products before buying them
The fact that about a quarter of consumers want to see or feel a product before buying tells us two things: physical presence and interaction are important for pushing customers to make purchases, and there’s more to a good retail store than simply transactions. Creating a comprehensive positive experience for customers in-store goes a long way toward closing sales.
8. Nearly 60% of spending done by women is online
A 2022 report by Wunderman Thompson showed that 59% of spending done by women is being done online, compared with 55% of men’s spending. Businesses that do targeted online marketing for products attractive to women potentially stand to generate a lot of revenue from this trend.
In-store Shopping Statistics
Physical shopping remains prevalent even with ecommerce’s rise in popularity. Offline sales in the US alone are still worth trillions of dollars, and lots of buyers still like buying products in-store for various reasons.
Even if you’re planning to expand your business’ online presence, don’t neglect the in-store experience—or you’ll lose out on a lot of profit and customer goodwill.
9. Offline retail sales in the US are projected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2028
Business and technology research organization Forrester found that in-store retail in the US is still on the rise: total sales reached $3.6 trillion in 2022, largely driven by inflation that reached its highest point in decades. Offline sales are expected to grow further and exceed $4 trillion by 2028; by that point, these sales will make up 72% of the overall market.
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10. 46% of retailers planned to prioritize showrooming in 2022
According to Shopify research, 46% of surveyed merchants planned to make showrooming a priority in 2022. The purpose was to maximize available space, build closer relationships with customers, and better understand those customers.
11. More than half of consumers prefer in-store shopping for various reasons
Fifty-four percent of buyers would choose to shop in a physical store rather than any other method such as online shopping. However, consumers have different motivations for choosing in-person shopping. According to widely cited data points, 65% of consumers surveyed chose it to avoid paying delivery fees, 60% mentioned the benefit of getting their purchased product immediately, and 61% liked the opportunity to see and try on the products they’re buying.
Offering a good in-store experience for potential buyers will go a long way toward them opening their wallets.
BOPIS/Click & Collect Statistics
In a click-and-collect model—also called BOPIS or buy online, pickup in-store—customers buy an item online but then physically travel to the store to pick it up. BOPIS is an alternative to customers ordering an item online and having it delivered.
12. Over a quarter of consumers across five countries prefer BOPIS options
BOPIS can help boost sales and average order value (AOV). In fact, year over year, 26% more consumers across five countries (including the US) preferred picking up items in-store, even if they had purchased them online. These consumers prefer the certainty and lower cost of pickup as opposed to having items delivered.
13. In 2023, American shoppers spent more than $99 billion in BOPIS purchases
This massive $99.36 billion spend totaled 8.5% of all ecommerce sales in 2023. The overall value of BOPIS spending is expected to go up over the next few years, exceeding $120 billion by 2025.
14. Only 3% of the top 1,000 retail chains offered BOPIS services in 2023
Out of the top 1,000 retail chains, only 3% offered click-and-collect services in 2023—a gigantic drop from 80% in 2022. This drop may have been caused by customer frustrations with the BOPIS model, such as concerns over product quality, waiting times, and missing products from orders.
Global events and unpredictable trends can affect the popularity of BOPIS; for example, it gained lots of popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. BOPIS remains a handy option for customers, but if you choose to implement BOPIS services for your own business, be aware of both its advantages and drawbacks.
Ecommerce Omnichannel Trends
Ecommerce continues to become more powerful over time, as revenues grow, customer spending increases, and product returns drop. Understanding how frequently customers buy online—and what they spend their money on—will go a long way toward helping you scale up your business’ ecommerce offerings.
15. Ecommerce in the US grew by 7.6% from 2022 to 2023
Ecommerce sales value in the US has been increasing consistently for over half a decade, reaching a value of $1.119 trillion in 2023. This corresponds to a 7.6% growth from 2022. In 2023, total retail sales reached a value of about $5.088 trillion—a 3.8% growth from 2022—and ecommerce made up roughly 22%.
16. By 2033, 64% of spending will take place online
Nearly two-thirds of all consumer spending will happen in the digital space by 2033. With 58% of all consumer spending currently taking place online, this shows a steady upward trend for digital shopping.
17. Ecommerce returns will fall to 14.7% by 2026
The percentage of online purchases that get returned has fallen since peaking at 21.7% in 2021. The number dropped to 19.3% in 2022. By 2026, it is projected to hit 14.7%. According to Insider Intelligence, this is partly due to more people returning to physical stores.
Learn best practices and prevention tips for retail returns, along with how to write an effective return policy.
18. For online shopping, clothing is the most frequently returned product category in the US
Clothing is the most returned product type, with 23% of respondents in a 2024 survey saying they’ve returned items in that category. This is greater than the returns for consumer electronics and household appliances.
19. 34% of online buyers shop once a week
The International Post Corporation found that over a third of online buyers shop once per week. While this number doesn’t seem very high, the frequency of shopping is consistent. The number changes when looking at buying frequency per month: 25% of online buyers shop once a month.
20. Almost half of customers browsing online will visit a website’s search page after landing on the home page
Customers display varied behavior when browsing online, with some visiting a product detail page after landing on a brand website’s home page. However, 45% visit a search page instead, showing that many online shoppers instinctively do a specific search for desired products.
21. Almost two-thirds of consumers globally expect product delivery within two days of ordering
Despite supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other events in recent years, consumers still have high delivery expectations. Some 60% expect that the products they order online will be delivered within two days at most.
Mobile Omnichannel Retail Statistics
Mobile sales channels, in which customers purchase online using their mobile devices, are a significant factor in optimizing an omnichannel strategy.
There are far more mobile users than desktop users, for example, and mobile commerce sales are rapidly catching up to the halfway point of all ecommerce sales in the US. If you’re planning to pursue a comprehensive omnichannel approach for your business, don’t neglect the mobile aspect.
22. By 2029, there may be more than 8 billion smartphone subscriptions worldwide
Mobile phone usage continues to climb globally. Ericsson predicts that by 2029, more than 8 billion people worldwide will have smartphone subscriptions.
23. Mobile devices make up more than 60% of global market share of device usage
As of July 2024, there were far more users (~62% of total) of mobile devices vs desktop computers (~36%) or tablets (~2%). Coupled with the number of projected smartphone subscriptions we saw above, this will inevitably result in more people shopping online via their mobile devices.
24. Mobile sales will make up 9.2% of all retail transactions in the US by 2024
EMARKETER forecasts total mobile sales to continue to increase each year, making up 9.2% of total retail transactions and 44.6% of all ecommerce sales in 2024. By that year, mcommerce sales value will be at a staggering $558.29 billion, due largely to the ever-increasing usage of smartphones and tablets from which more and more people do their online shopping.
25. Automated push messages in an omnichannel campaign result in an 825% higher click rate
Automated emails have long been successful in increasing conversion rates, but automated push messages can also achieve staggering results. Omnisend finds that they result in over 800% more clicks from consumers.
26. People start to unsubscribe from marketing messages once they receive more than 15 push notifications per day
Though push notifications have a high return on investment (ROI), use them wisely. According to findings from A/B testing company VWO Engage, when users receive up to five push notifications per day, they rarely unsubscribe—only around 1% do so. However, once the number of notifications goes beyond 10, and especially beyond 15, more and more users unsubscribe. At 16 notifications and up, 7% of users are unsubscribing.
Social Commerce Statistics
Social commerce uses existing social media platforms—such as TikTok and Instagram—to market products and services, and allow consumers to buy via these avenues. As with in-store purchases and ecommerce, the better a customer’s experience is with social commerce, the more likely they are to return to your business and buy again.
27. Social commerce is predicted to grow to over $1 trillion in value by 2028
A report by Statista predicts that social commerce—a form of commerce that leverages social media (and online social experiences in general) to encourage buyers to purchase—will exceed $1 trillion in value by 2028. The expected compound annual growth rate for social commerce from 2023 to 2028 is at 13.7%.
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28. If a consumer has recently made a purchase via social commerce, they are twice as likely to buy from a new brand
If a user has bought via social commerce in the past, they are probably going to do so again in the future—in fact, they are twice as likely to do so compared with someone who has never made a social commerce purchase. They are also twice as likely to buy a product or service bundle that they see recommended for them.
29. Brands that provide positive social media experiences for customers get a large marketing boost
If customers experience a positive social media interaction with a brand, 71% of them are more likely to recommend that brand to others. This shows that optimizing your business’ social media presence and prioritizing customer satisfaction online goes a long way toward spreading brand awareness.
Livestream Commerce Statistics
Livestream commerce is a marketing or business strategy that involves promoting or selling products via online methods such as live videos and social media platforms. If customers are watching a live video of a popular or beloved online personality promoting certain products, it’s often easier to convince those customers to buy more. If you target the right demographics and use the right metrics when doing livestream commerce, the results can be startling.
30. Livestream commerce works particularly well for selling clothes, shoes, and accessories
A McKinsey report shows that in the US, 44% of livestream viewers buy three to four clothing, shoe, and accessory products per show. This could be due to the overall popularity of this product category as well as the ability to cross-sell between these categories.
31. By 2026, livestream commerce sales are estimated to grow by 36%
Livestream commerce is projected to make up more than 5% of all ecommerce sales in the US by 2026, a growth of 36%. McKinsey & Company also reports the livestream market in the US could make up as much as 20% of all ecommerce sales by 2026.
32. Over half of retail companies pursuing livestreaming strategies focused on improving the shopping experience
In 2022, 52% of retailers that leveraged livestream commerce cited an “improved shopping experience” as a main goal. This was a more common goal than simply generating revenue, which only 48% of retailers cited as a main goal.
33. Livestream shopping converts at a 10x higher rate than traditional ecommerce
Livestream shoppers are more likely to buy than people shopping through traditional ecommerce. Retailers that leverage livestream selling get conversion rates up to nearly 30%—10 times higher than ecommerce.
34. Adults aged 18 to 34 are the heaviest livestream commerce users in the US
People within this age range are the most likely to purchase items via livestream shopping, though this sales channel is still limited overall. Adults aged over 55 years, on the other hand, use livestream shopping much less frequently and are generally less interested in doing so.
Omnichannel Case Studies
An omnichannel approach works to the benefit of both businesses (by achieving higher sales) and customers (by getting more options and convenience). Lots of businesses have improved their performance—sometimes dramatically so—by adopting omnichannel strategies. Below are just a few examples.
35. Walmart’s focus on omnichannel strategy resulted in ecommerce sales growth of 12% in Q2 2023
Walmart has been working on automating its supply chain and fulfillment centers, allowing for greater customization of ecommerce orders. The retail giant has also been reorganizing to prevent siloing between its in-store and online shopping experiences, making things more seamless for buyers. These efforts resulted in 12% growth for ecommerce sales in just one quarter of 2023.
36. At Target, multichannel customers spend 10 times more than digital-only customers
During Target’s successful Q2 2020, it boosted sales by nearly 25%, with digital sales climbing 195%. The retailer prioritized omnichannel to integrate digital and physical retail. As a result, shoppers who used multiple channels to buy from the retailer spent 10 times more than online-only shoppers and four times more than shoppers who only buy in store.
37. Omnichannel adoption boosted Zara’s digital sales by 74%
Fashion retailer Zara integrated digital and physical retail with omnichannel in Q2 2020 as well. As a result, the brand grew online sales by nearly three-quarters in the first half of the year.
38. Adidas had 1,000 weekly orders when it launched click and collect
When Adidas first entered the click-and-collect market, it forecast few sales. However, the sports and fashion brand received 1,000 orders in its debut week. The retailer couldn’t keep up with initial demand and had to pause and relaunch the program a few years later.
39. Sephora doubled its mobile orders by blending in-store and online customer experiences
Makeup brand Sephora masterfully blends physical and digital experiences by offering online customer accounts with product tracking, item scanning while in-store, tutorials, loyalty features, and even a virtual try-on feature for their makeup products. This comprehensive approach to customer satisfaction allowed Sephora to double its volume of mobile orders.
40. Marks & Spencer’s live shopping service contributed to a 50.8% increase in online sales
M&S Live, the brand’s online live shopping service, allows customers to join live broadcasts, interact with experts, view product demonstrations, buy items, and more. This initiative helped boost online sales by more than 50% for the brand.
41. Lively saw customers spend up to 80% more if they booked initial fitting sessions online
Lingerie and sports clothing brand Lively earned 60%-80% more revenue from customers who had first booked fitting sessions online. Although other factors certainly played a part, the message is positive for blending offline and online channels. It can yield dramatic results.
Bottom Line
Omnichannel retail is here to stay, and customers are increasingly opting to shop with retailers that offer synonymous shopping experiences across different channels, with livestream shopping and omnichannel support being of particular importance. With today’s small business tools and technology, retailers of all sizes can implement omnichannel strategies in their businesses. The early adopters will set themselves up for success now and years to come.
