When starting an ecommerce business, one of the first things you need to do is have a good understanding of your target market. This covers basic information like the number of potential buyers there are and specifics such as their online habits and shopping preferences.

If your target audience is located in the United States, one important question you need to be asking is: How many people shop online in the US?

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US online shopping: number of ecommerce users

US online shopping has been growing in popularity over the past few years, as evidenced by the increasing number of people choosing to purchase goods and services over the internet. 

A recent study shows that there are 267.83 million online shoppers in the US in 2024, a 13.03 million increase from the previous year. The number of digital shoppers is set to increase in the coming years. In 2025, experts expect there to be 280.93 million ecommerce shoppers. The year after, the number of ecommerce users in the US is forecast to be 293.45 million, before rising by 4.1% in 2027, to 305.36 million. By 2027, experts predict there will be 316.63 million people shopping in the US.

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Knowing how many people shop online in the US is useful, as it provides you with a picture of your business’s potential. That aside, it’s also helpful to know how quickly this number is growing year after year. 

US online shopping: 2019–2028 annual growth rates

The number of people shopping online in the US in 2024 marks a 5.1% annual increase from 2023, which is the slowest growth expected in at least five years. In comparison, 2022 and 2023’s growth numbers were 7.6% and 5.8%, respectively.

The growth rate of the number of consumers buying things online in the US is expected to decelerate in the coming years. In 2025, this is forecast to slow to 4.9%, before slowing further to 4.5% in 2026 and 4.1% in 2027. An annual growth rate of 3.7% is projected for 2028. 

From 2019 to 2028, the number of people shopping online in the US is set to increase by 67.3% overall and at an average annual growth rate of 5.9%.

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