eCommerce in the U.S.: Top Online Stores

Top 10 Online Stores in the United States: Key Insights

• U.S. eCommerce Growth: The U.S. is set to reach over US$1 trillion in eCommerce sales by 2024, showing significant growth from below US$400 billion in 2017.

• Penetration Rate Increase: The eCommerce penetration rate in the U.S. is expected to rise to 83.5% in 2024 from 55.8% in 2017, indicating a steady increase in online shopping adoption.

• Dominant Online Stores: Amazon, Walmart, and Apple lead the U.S. online retail market, collectively amassing almost US$220 billion in net sales, showcasing their dominant position.

The global eCommerce landscape is significantly influenced by the United States, holding the position of the world's second-largest market with an anticipated total revenue of over US$1 trillion by the end of this year. But to fully comprehend the mechanics of this booming sector, we need a closer examination of key performance indicators.

Before we delve into profiling the top 10 online stores driving this colossal market, we will turn our attention to the eCommerce penetration rate in the U.S.

U.S. eCommerce Penetration Rate Reaches 83.5% in 2024

The eCommerce penetration rate in the U.S. has been on a steady incline, a trend clearly visible when examining key years. In 2017, the rate stood at a then-modest 55.8%. By 2023, this figure had risen significantly to 78.4%.

Looking ahead to the near future, the forecast for 2024 suggests this upward momentum will persist, albeit at a slightly moderated pace. The rate is expected to hit 83.5%, marking a modest yet positive increase from the 2023 level. Peering even further into the horizon, the projected penetration rate for 2028 is 94.6%, at which point, virtually almost all U.S. consumers will be shopping online.

Market Growth in the U.S.: Revenue Reaches US$1 Trillion by 2024

The U.S. eCommerce market has been on a steady climb, growing from US$397 billion in 2017 to a projected US$1.06 trillion by 2024. Notably, the sector experienced a significant jump in 2020, fueled by the pandemic, reaching US$746 billion.

It's important to underline that by 2024, the market is expected to hit the US$1 trillion mark, confirming eCommerce's growing role in the U.S. economy. Beyond 2024, the market is projected to sustain its growth, reaching US$1.41 trillion by 2028.

Top 10 Online Stores in the U.S.: Who Leads?

Based on our data, the American online retail sphere is essentially a story of giants and their followers. The top three online stores — Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Apple.com — distinctly dominate the field, collectively amassing almost US$220 billion in net sales.

Amazon.com is the undisputed leader with US$135.6 billion, significantly outpacing its rivals. Walmart.com is next, but at a substantial distance, reporting US$58.1 billion in sales. Apple.com rounds out the top three with US$25.8 billion in eCommerce net sales.

The dominance of these players becomes even more apparent when viewing the other players in context: Target.com sits in fourth place, pulling in US$20.1 billion, closely trailed by Homedepot.com with US$19.4 billion. Further down the list are Shein.com, BestBuy.com, Costco.com, Chewy.com and Samsclub.com. These stores report eCommerce net sales figures ranging from US$9.2 billion to US$18.3 billion. Although they operate at a significant level, their scale pales in comparison to the leading trio.

As a side note, a look at the main product categories of these top 10 online stores reveals that Electronics is the dominant retail sector, represented by four stores. While Hobby & Leisure and Fashion follow with three and two stores respectively, only one top 10 shop has DIY as its main category.

Amazon Maintains First Place,
Walmart follows

Amazon.com has consistently held the number one position in the U.S. online retail sector in the past few years, underlining its considerable influence in the American eCommerce market.

On the other hand, Walmart.com rose from third to second place in 2019 and has successfully maintained this rank through 2023. This ascendancy, although noteworthy, hasn't been enough to topple Amazon.com from the top spot.

Apple.com has had a more turbulent ride in comparison, holding the second place in 2018 but dropping to sixth in 2020. It regained its footing by climbing back to third place in 2021 and maintained it until last year.

BestBuy.com momentarily grabbed attention by capturing the third spot in 2020 but slipped back to sixth place in subsequent years, eventually dropping to seventh place last year.

One of the most striking developments has been the rise of Shein.com, which skyrocketed from the 51st position in 2018 to break into the top 10 by 2022. The Chinese-Singaporean company's main online store improved its ranking by one position, climbing up to sixth position in the 2023 rankings.

Learn More About the ECDB Store Rankings

Closer Look at Apple and Shein

While 7 out of 10 top online stores in the U.S. generate virtually all of their revenue domestically, Amazon's U.S. revenue share (of its global revenue) stands at 97.6%. Let's take a closer look at the remaining players, whose U.S. revenue shares amount to about half of what they make globally.

Apple.com

While apple.com makes online sales in at least 36 countries, only 8 contribute more than 2% to the online store's global revenue. With 54.8%, the U.S. is the dominant contributor to the online store's global revenue.

The rest of the significant contributors fall into two distinct clusters based on their revenue share. Japan and Greater China are neck-and-neck, each providing just over 6%, while the United Kingdom and Canada hover around the 4-5% range. Lastly, Australia, Germany, and France form a group, each contributing between 2-3% to apple.com's eCommerce net sales.

Shein.com

Shein.com generates eCommerce revenue in more than 45 countries, yet only eight of these contribute significantly to its online sales, each providing at least 2% of the global revenue. Leading the pack is the United States, which accounts for just over a half (50.3%) of the total.

The remaining countries with substantial contributions can be categorized into two clear groups based on their share of Shein.com's revenue. France and Brazil are nearly tied, each generating slightly above 6%. Canada is not far behind with a 5.3% share, followed by Spain and Australia which are closely matched, contributing 4.4% and 4.0% respectively. Rounding out the list are Italy and Germany, each contributing a smaller but still noteworthy share, with Italy at 3.4% and Germany at 2.5%.