The Most Popular Goods Purchased Online In The UK: Statistics To Help You
Here are some of the latest statistics that show the most popular goods purchased online in the UK and how the UK ecommerce sector has been developing recently
Have you wondered about how the ecommerce market in the UK has been developing over the past years and which products are the most in-demand for online purchase? Knowing the statistics for the most popular goods purchased online in the UK can be helpful, especially for people who are looking to start their own online business in the UK.
It is crucial to understand what sells and what the people in the UK want from online stores. The latest ecommerce and product statistics can help you have a better understanding of the online retail industry and you can make better, more well-informed decisions with the help of these statistics.
Whether you already have an established online business or are looking to start your journey, being up-to-date with the latest from the industry is always a good call and can be beneficial for you. To make sure your business is successful and profitable, you must know what the customer expectations are and which products are the most popular.
Not only that, but having a solid fulfillment and shipping strategy is also an essential part of your online business journey. Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of the ecommerce sector in the UK and the statistics that show the most popular goods purchased online!
General UK Online Shopping Statistics
Ecommerce revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.03% between 2022 and 2025 in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
Ecommerce in the UK has taken off and grown significantly over the years. Online stores and ecommerce websites have become more accessible for people in the UK, giving a boost to the online retail sector. According to studies, the ecommerce revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.03% between 2022 and 2025, showing that the industry is not going to slow down any time soon. The recent developments, improved return policies, faster delivery times, everything has made online shopping more convenient for people in the UK.
Ecommerce sales accounted for 27.1% of the total retail sales in the UK in January 2022 (cybercrew, 2023)
A large portion of the total retail sales in the UK comes from ecommerce and online shopping. People in the UK are purchasing products online more frequently, especially after the pandemic. Customers feel more comfortable shopping online and the businesses have also established themselves as reliable and trustworthy.
Ecommerce sales were just 19.1% of total sales in the UK before the pandemic (cybercrew, 2023)
The Covid-19 pandemic brought a lot of changes and shifts in our lifestyles. One of the most significant ones was the boost in ecommerce and online retail. During the lockdown in the UK, people had no option but to use ecommerce platforms to shop, whether it was for groceries or clothing goods. Before the pandemic, only 19.1% of the total retail sales in the UK were from online stores and platforms.
Wholesale was the largest ecommerce sector in 2019 in the UK, totalling 214 billion British pounds in sales (cybercrew, 2023) I
n 2019, wholesale was the largest online retail sector in the UK. The wholesale sector in the UK made a total of 214 billion GBP in sales in 2019. The wholesale sector is one of the most popular ecommerce sectors, especially for the B2B industry. Businesses often purchase wholesale items from other online vendors for their own business and sell them.
The total value of ecommerce sales in the UK was 693 billion British Pounds in 2019 (cybercrew, 2023)
In 2019, the ecommerce sector in the UK was also doing extremely well, with 693 billion GBP total revenue from online sales. This just goes to show that the UK public has accepted that online shopping is convenient and easy, making it one of the most used retail methods in the country.
The user penetration for internet shopping in the UK reached 87% in 2020 (cybercrew, 2023)
2020 was the year of the pandemic. The people in the UK were facing lockdowns and in such difficult times, it was not easy to make purchases from physical stores. This also led to an increase in the user penetration for online shopping in the UK, with the number reaching 87%. More and more people shifted to shopping online instead of going to stores themselves to make purchases.
Amazon is the largest online retailer in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
Amazon has established itself as an ecommerce giant all across the world. In the UK, it is the largest ecommerce platform and online retailer. Amazon provides customers with all types of products. The variety is huge and people can get fast delivery if they have the Amazon Prime membership. Amazon is a giant when it comes to ecommerce, providing customers with top-notch service and delivery times.
The average revenue per user is expected to total 2.49K GBP in 2022 in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
On average, an online shopper in the UK is expected to spend a little over 2,000 GBP in 2022 on online shopping. This means more people are willing to spend more money on online purchases and find online shopping more convenient.
33.3 billion British pounds of revenue was generated from online shopping through mobile phones in the UK in 2019 (cybercrew, 2023)
With the help of mobile phones, online shopping has become more accessible than ever. People are often browsing through ecommerce websites and platforms from their mobile phones and are more likely to make purchases. The advancement of technology has also led to mobile purchases becoming secure, which makes customers feel safe while shopping online from their mobile phones. It is also a convenient method to shop online.
78% of the people in the UK made online purchases in 2018 (cybercrew, 2023)
As you can see from the statistics, 78% of the people in the UK made online purchases back in 2018, which means people were already warming up to the idea of online shopping even before the pandemic hit. There is no doubt that online shopping is convenient and you can place orders and receive them at your doorstep in a short time instead of going out and making the purchase physically, making it a lot more time-saving and efficient.
87% of the people in the UK made online purchases in 2020 (cybercrew, 2023)
When compared to 2018, 10% more people made online purchases in 2020. This is also a significant increase in the number and it can be mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More people who were not used to online shopping had no other option but to make online purchases because of the strict lockdowns.
The total value of monthly internet retail sales in the UK was 2.03 billion British Pounds in January 2022 (cybercrew, 2023)
In January alone, the monthly retail sales revenue in the UK was 2.03 billion GBP. This statistic shows how popular ecommerce and online retail has become in the UK and how monthly ecommerce sales have risen to over 2 billion GBP. More people are making online purchases in the UK and the ecommerce sector in the country has to live up to the high expectations consumers now have.
Online retail sales in November 2020 in the UK reached a peak of 3.2 billion British pounds (cybercrew, 2023)
In November of 2020, the monthly online retail sales in the UK reached a peak of 3.2 billion GBP. This was during the pandemic lockdown and the holiday season right around the corner. People had to make purchases for the Christmas and other holiday presents online, taking the online sales revenue to a peak of over 3 billion GBP. Although the monthly ecommerce sales are still high, they have yet to beat the record numbers of November 2020.
Online retail sales in department stores grew 157.2% year-over-year in 2020 in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
Department stores in the UK also started selling online during the pandemic in 2020 and their online sales grew 157.2% year-over-year in 2020. The pandemic led to lockdowns, which led to people in the UK making online purchases from department stores. Of course, the department stores in the UK also provided excellent online shopping experiences for their customers, which also helped with increasing their sales and profits.
Online retailers witnessed a sales growth of more than 50% between 2013 to 2018 (cybercrew, 2023)
Online retailers in the UK have witnessed their businesses grow and reach new heights with the advancement in technology and online shopping becoming more accessible over the years. Between 2013 and 2018, online merchants in the UK saw a growth of more than 50% in their sales. This shows us how much the online shopping sector in the UK has grown over the years, with sales becoming double for online businesses.
Offline retailers witnessed a growth of less than 10% between 2013 to 2018 (cybercrew, 2023)
Compared to online retailers, offline retailers only witnessed a growth of less than 10% in their sales between 2013 and 2018. This statistic is a great proof of how much the ecommerce industry in the UK has taken off and become extremely profitable for the online retailers while offline retailers might be struggling more.
9% of German shoppers surveyed in 2018 said they had shopped online with a retailer based in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
When it comes to online business in the UK, it is also important that you have an international reach and can be able to deliver orders to customers from other countries. 9% of German shoppers in a survey said they have shopped online from a retailer based in the UK. If you can easily deliver orders to customers based in Europe from your business in the UK, you can expand your reach and increase your sales with ease.
The age group between 25 and 34 saw the highest share of individuals making online purchases with 99% in 2020 in the UK (cybercrew, 2023)
99% of the people in the UK between the ages 25 and 34 made online purchases in 2020. This is also the demographic that usually finds online shopping most convenient and accessible, which is why almost all of them made online purchases.
A survey conducted each year between 2018 and 2020 found that the two most popular reasons for shopping online are the lower price and the large variety of products available (cybercrew, 2023)
When people browse through ecommerce websites and platforms, they find various options and a large variety of products. They can also choose the product that is more affordable for them. These two factors play a massive role in the growth of ecommerce and online retail in the UK.
A survey in 2019 found that 38% of UK consumers shopped online at least once a week, which was more than any other region surveyed (cybercrew, 2023)
According to a survey, 38% of consumers in the UK shopped online at least once a week. This percentage was higher for the UK than all the other regions surveyed, showing us that people in the UK are more open to online shopping and are more interested in making online purchases compared to other regions in the world.
The Most Popular Goods Purchased Online Statistics
Clothing is the most-purchased item by online shoppers, with more than 60% of all consumers buying their clothes on the internet (addtocart, 2021)ses
When it comes to online shopping in the UK, people are most likely to purchase clothing items. There are a lot of online apparel and fashion stores in the UK, and people make purchases from these stores. The ecommerce apparel sector in the UK is also highly competitive, with a high number of businesses in the industry. The recent changes and return policies being more lenient has also led to an increase in the online sales of clothes and apparel.
53% of consumers in the UK buy their books online (addtocart, 2021)
Books have also become very common for customers in the UK to purchase online. There are many platforms that sell e-books, which people can read on their mobiles and tablets. This is also a huge reason why books are the second most-purchased item online in the UK.
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46% of shoppers decide to purchase their footwear via ecommerce platforms (addtocart, 2021)
Along with clothes and apparel, footwear is also a product that is bought a lot through ecommerce platforms in the UK. People in the UK find great deals for footwear online, along with a large variety to choose from. The return policy for online stores is also lenient, which is why people don’t hesitate to purchase footwear online.
38% of shoppers in the UK said that they purchased movies, music, and games online (cybercrew, 2023)
Media is also another category that is high on the list of online purchases in the UK. 38% of the shoppers in the UK purchase music, movies, and games online. There are also online subscription services available for movies and music that people in the UK can use.
32% of consumers in the UK source their electronics via online shopping sites (addtocart, 2023)
A lot of the ecommerce platforms in the UK have established themselves as reliable and secure, which is why 32% of consumers in the UK purchase electronics through online retailers and ecommerce stores. People in the UK can get warranties for their products and ordering online is also convenient and easy. The electronic ecommerce sector in the UK has grown a lot over the years.
Research from FedEx uncovered that 28% of UK adults use ecommerce platforms to shop when looking to stock up on cosmetics and beauty products (addtocart, 2023)
Another ecommerce sector that has grown immensely over the years is cosmetics and beauty. 28% of the adults in the UK head over to ecommerce platforms to purchase cosmetics and beauty products. There are countless beauty brands that have established their place in the ecommerce industry in the UK over the years and people carry out their cosmetics shopping from these online brands.
Deliveries from restaurants, fast food chains, or catering services make up 32% of the online purchases in the UK (addtocart, 2023)
Food deliveries have become more common than ever. If there is a fast-food chain or any such service, you can easily have food delivered to your doorstep through online orders. There are many apps and websites in the UK that allow people to order food online. This makes it more convenient for the consumers as well, as they don’t have to physically go to the restaurant to buy food for themselves.
Home accessories, gardening products, and furniture make up 29% of the online purchases in the UK (Statista, 2023)
There are many online stores in the UK for furniture, home accessories, and gardening equipment. 29% of the online purchases in the UK are from these stores and ecommerce platforms that sell these products. A lot of people find it easy and convenient to order their gardening supplies and home accessories from online stores that can guarantee safe and secure delivery.
Children’s toys and childcare products make up 22% of the online purchases in the UK (Statista, 2023)
22% of the total online purchases in the UK come from children’s toys and childcare products. There is a high number of online stores in the UK that sell toys and games for children. There are also stores selling childcare products. All of these stores make it convenient and easy for people to purchase these items and keep their children happy and safe.
Cleaning products or personal hygiene products make up 18% of the online purchases in the UK (Statista, 2023)
Cleaning products or personal hygiene products are mostly counted as grocery items as well. With the pandemic and lockdowns hitting the UK, people realized how convenient it is to order these items online and receive them quickly instead of going out and purchasing them. This is why these items make up 18% of the total online purchases in the UK now.
Sports goods (excluding sports clothing) make up 17% of the online purchases in the UK (Statista, 2023)
There are many online stores and ecommerce platforms that are selling sports goods online. These items make up 17% of the total purchases in the UK. People can easily order any sports equipment or workout equipment they need from these stores and get them delivered to their doorstep, making these items one of the most purchased online items in the UK.
Food or beverages from stores or meal-kit providers make up 13% of the online purchases in the UK (Statista, 2023)
There are a lot of businesses in the UK selling meal-kits and providing daily meals for people. Food and beverages sold by these businesses make up 13% of the total online purchases in the UK. There are a lot of people in the UK who don’t have time to prepare meals every day for themselves or their families, which is why these meal-kit services are in high demand all over the UK.
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Here at Meteor Space, we want to help you expand your reach and increase your sales, which is why we provide unfettered access between the UK and Europe. With our help, you can establish your brand on an international scale, without having to worry about any international shipping taxes or regulations.
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