According to a report by market research firm Forrester, the US e-commerce sales, which have amounted to USD 231 billion in 2012, are expected to jump 13 percent in 2013, reaching USD 262 billion.
The same source mentions that the e-commerce growth is driven by two main factors, including the use of smartphones and tablets, which are boosting the amount of time consumers spend online, and traditional retailers increased investments in their online sales divisions.
With regard to the use of smartphones and tablets, data unveils that more than half of US online consumers now own smartphones and they are using them to research purchases, find stores and to find the best prices available, often also completing a transaction directly on the device. Tablet owners are also spending their leisure moments (weekends, evening prime-time hours) shopping online.
The survey also points out that new shoppers are also contributing to the increase on e-commerce sales in the US. Results show that only 4 million people are expected to shop online for the first time in 2013.
Forrester findings also analyze e-commerce sales in Western Europe, which are expected to grow at an even faster rate than the US in the next five years, from USD 146 billion (EUR 112 billion) in 2012 to USD 249 billion (EUR 191 billion) by 2017, representing a compound annual growth rate of 11 percent (versus 9 percent in the US).
In the UK, online retail already accounts for 13 percent of the total economy and is expected to increase its share to 15 percent in 2017. Italy and Spain lag the furthest behind in e-commerce traction, with online sales currently accounting for 2 percent of annual revenue for each country, and are expected to increase their shares by 1 percent and 2 percent, respectively, in the next five years.
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