THE FUTURE
OF ECOMMERCE
IS NOW
Industry Insights for 2023 & Beyond
Introduction
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,
trends in ecommerce have continued
evolving. In 2020, the industry witnessed
a massive boom as consumers searched
online for everything from entertainment
to groceries. But as lockdown measures
eased → and vaccination rollouts continued
through 2021 and 2022 →, growth
in ecommerce continued, though
at a slightly slower pace.
In 2023, the ecommerce industry faces
a new set of opportunities and challenges.
While interest rates continue fluctuating
and the possibility of a widespread global
recession remains, 2023 has also brought
some exciting technological advancements
that are shaping the industry in surprising
ways.
While the future looks hopeful, many
questions remain: How is the ecommerce
industry responding to economic
uncertainty?
How can ecommerce businesses stay
competitive in an increasingly crowded
landscape?
In this report, we seek to answer these
questions and more using ecommerce
industry traffic data from Semrush
Open .Trends → and Semrush .Trends →,
and Amazon-focused data from Semrush’s
Keyword Wizard for Amazon tool →.
The data primarily spans from March 2022
to March 2023. While we touch on most
regions across the globe, the report
specifically focuses on global data
generally and U.S. data specifically.
In assessing the ecommerce industry
in depth and highlighting some overarching
ecommerce trends that will likely stick
for the long haul, we hope to help you shape
a smarter, insight-driven digital marketing
strategy for your ecommerce business
in years to come.
02
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Table
ofContents
02 Introduction
04
Global Ecommerce Growth Dynamics
07 Ecommerce Industry Traffic Share by Country
09
The Ecommerce Industry
Market Landscape
10 The Top Global Ecommerce Players
12 The Top U.S. Ecommerce Players
14 Ad Spending for Top U.S. Ecommerce Players
15 Top Ecommerce Players by Region
17 Ecommerce Market Position Dynamics
18 The U.S. Ecommerce Competitive Landscape
20
Apps Data
21 The Top 10 Ecommerc Mobile Apps
Worldwide
24
Ecommerce Shoppers’ User Behavior
25 Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trends by Device
(Global)
26 Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trends Global
28 Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trends U.S.
29 Social Media
29 The rise of TikTok
32
Artificial Intelligence, Augmented
Reality and the Future of Ecommerce
35 Most Wanted Products and
Calls-to-action
36 Ecommerce Industry Top Products
37 Top Emotional Triggers Featured in Leading
E-Tailers’ Ads
40
The Giant on the Market: Analyzing
Amazon.com for Insights
41 Average Funnels
42 “Special Occasions” Funnels
44 Top Trending Products on Amazon.com
in 2022-2023 by Month
45 Top Products on Amazon.com in 2022-2023
48
Insight-driven Recommendations for
Shaping Your Future Ecommerce
Marketing Strategy
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Global
Ecommerce
Growth
Dynamics
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
25 B
20 B
15 B
10 B
5 B
0
Jan’19 Jan’20
Jan’21 Jan’22
March’23
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Global Ecommerce Growth Dynamics
Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trend
Global 2019-2023
Over the past decade, the ecommerce industry has experienced
a meteoric rise. Whether you look at revenue or web traffic, the results
are clear: shoppers are turning to the internet at an increasing rate to make
purchases of all shapes and sizes.
While COVID undoubtedly added momentum to ecommerce growth, expansion of the industry has
continued even as the intensity of the response to the global pandemic has decreased.
A top massive gains seen in 2020 and 2021, year-over-year traffic trends showed a steady
2.5% increase in 2022
While traffic slowed down from previous years in 2022, the three-year average growth
remained at an impressive 18%
05
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Looking to 2023, we see positive signs for continued growth. After a dip in traffic during
the summer months of 2022, traffic rates made a full recovery by the start of 2023.
By the end of Q1 of 2023, traffic was up 8% in the ecommerce industry
Traffic highs in March of 2023 were higher than all of 2022 and nearing all-time industry
highs seen in December of 2021
Looking at seasonal trends, 2023 could be another record breaking year for the industry, especially
when the year-end shopping season is taken into account
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Market Growth
Global 2022
As the Market Size graph shows, the SAM for the ecommerce industry grew by 100M between April
and December of 2022, which reflects the massive growth the industry sees around the holiday
season.
Overall, trends in the ecommerce industry traffic suggest a continued upward trajectory, even
as the pandemic continues to fade into the background of consumers' lives. While we may not see
the steep upticks in traffic witnessed in 2020 and 2021, 2023 is poised to show continued growth,
with the potential to bring industry traffic to new all time highs.
Market Size
7B
1.2B
7B
1.3B
06
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
United States
Germany
United Kingdom
France
India
Brazil
Japan
Italy
Spain
Netherlands
Country Traffic Share
2022
50.22%
4.14%
4.12%
3.15%
3.05%
2.75%
2.08%
1.98%
1.97%
1.58%
United States
India
Germany
United Kingdom
Brazil
France
Turkey
Japan
Philippines
Spain
Country Traffic Share
2023
31.21%
8.43%
5.22%
4.98%
3.58%
3.42%
3.06%
2.54%
2.45%
2.21%
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Industry
Traffic Share by Country
Ecommerce Industry Traffic Share by Country
2022-2023
Between 2022 and 2023, the ecommerce industry witnessed some significant shifts in traffic
share by country. The U.S. maintained its position as the leader across both years with a wide lead
on the other countries listed.
Looking at growth in the industry’s digital advertising spending in the U.S. → provides a clear
view of the breadth and growth of the industry in the U.S. Since 2019, ad spending has more than
tripled, going from 12.5B in 2019 to an estimated 38.4B by 2024.
Between 2022 and 2023, however, the U.S. has seen a significant drop in traffic share while other
countries have witnessed strong gains. Comparing traffic stats between 2022 and 2023 reveals
some significant shifts.
07
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Get customized ecommerce
market data
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Overall, global ecommerce traffic shares are seeing major shifts in 2023. The US, which has
historically held the top spot, experienced significant losses, along with several European countries
that have traditionally captured a large share of the market.
In 2023, the countries making the biggest moves are located in Asian markets. With economies
in India → and The Philippines → continuing to show resilience and growth in the face of global
economic uncertainty, they represent a tremendous opportunity for the ecommerce industry
in 2023 and beyond.
Over the last year, the U.S. saw a 19% decrease in traffic share year-over-year, dropping
from 50% in 2022 to 31% in 2023.
India experienced a significant increase in web traffic from 3.05% in 2022 to 8.43% in 2023,
making it the second-highest country for web traffic in 2023. This upward movement
knocked Germany into spot number 3 on the list.
The Philippines made the top 10 list for web traffic to ecommerce domains in 2023,
capturing 2.45% of the global traffic share. The Philippines represents one of the fastest
growing ecommerce markets → across the globe.
Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy saw traffic shares decrease in 2023. All three European countries
lost their spots on the top 10 list.
08
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
The Ecommerce
Industry Market
Landscape
Through the pandemic, an increasing consumer focus on ecommerce was a major boon
for companies prepared to meet their needs. In 2020, the companies that saw the most
revenue growth–which included the likes of Amazon and Ebay–witnessed profits soar
into the double digits → across the board.
With so much money on the table, many brick-and-mortar companies turned their
attention to digital markets. For example, brands like Walmart and Target stepped up
their ecommerce game and saw massive growth →.
But as the playing field has become more crowded, competition has grown, leading
to a fierce competitive playing field as we move into 2023.
The Top Global Ecommerce Players
In the global ecommerce market, the dominance of US-based businesses is still evident,
with amazon.com, ebay.com, and walmart.com among the top players. However, the industry is
constantly evolving as smaller players emerge as serious competitors.
By analyzing the traffic data for 2022 and 2023, we can identify some significant trends shaping
the global ecommerce landscape.
10
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
While two of the three top domains in terms of traffic were U.S. companies–amazon.com
and walmart.com–the largest year-over-year growth was seen by China-based aliexpress.com
with a huge 44% increase.
The leaders in terms of traffic growth were both based in Asian markets. India-based e-tailer flipkart.
com saw a significant 90% increase in traffic. The winner, however, was lazada.com.ph, which saw
growth near 200% driven by the Philippine market.
Amazon.com dominated the list, winning spots in the US, German, and UK markets, though growth
was not equal across the board. While German and UK markets saw growth of 16% and 20%,
respectively, year-over-year growth in the U.S. was less than 1%.
For 2023, all of the companies in the top 10 saw positive growth, with 80% showing double- or triple-
digit increases. This appears to be a major shift toward growth after slim gains in 2022.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Domain
amazon.com
aliexpress.com
walmart.com
ebay.com
etsy.com
amazon.de
amazon.co.uk
rakuten.co.jp
flipkart.com
lazada.com.ph
Average Monthly
Values 2023
2.84 B
845 M
748.1 M
699.9 M
496 M
490.1 M
389.9M
382.7M
291.9 M
287.1 M
YoY Change
(2022-2021)
4.75%
9.22%
5.74%
-17.30%
12.20%
5.63%
3.34%
-8.33%
3.08%
-18.04%
YoY Change
(2023-2022)
0.94%
43.87%
35.82%
15.93%
9.93%
16.22%
20.22%
16.52%
89.86%
197.87%
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Top 10 Ecommerce Industry Players
Global 2022-2023
11
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
When looking at individual players on a global scale, similar trends emerge.
While U.S. and European brands saw growth, the list leaders in terms of traffic growth
were focused on Asian markets. Overall, the strong increases among
the top players suggest 2023 could turn out to be a much better year than
2022 for the industry.
The Top U.S. Ecommerce Players
Although many of the top U.S. ecommerce players also appear on the global list, their year-
over-year growth rates have been less impressive. This trend mirrors the overall decline in U.S.
ecommerce traffic, which has dropped by 19% from 2022 to 2023.
While the data showed only the slightest of increases in traffic so far in 2023, some potential
winners and losers have begun to emerge.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Domain
amazon.com
walmart.com
ebay.com
etsy.com
homedepot.com
bestbuy.com
target.com
lowes.com
aliexpress.com
cvs.com
Average Monthly
Values 2023
1.92 B
712.38 M
478.02 M
238.6 M
153.92 M
137.43 M
136.17 M
104.99 M
89.28 M
77.74 M
YoY Change
(2022-2021)
5.88%
6.37%
-17.57%
6.47%
-13.66%
-17.90%
-16.62%
-17.25%
29.56%
-16.61%
YoY Change
(2023-2022)
-8.75%
39.09%
12.91%
-10.34%
-10.23%
-9.92%
-18.06%
-2.98%
33.10%
-15.43%
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Top 10 Ecommerce Industry Players
U.S. 2022-2023
12
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
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with Semrush ecommerce apps
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Amazon.com, with almost 2B total traffic in the US, declined by 9% in 2023, while walmart.com saw
nearly 40% in gains. Walmart.com’s ecommerce strategy has shown success, as both companies had
similar growth rates in 2022.
Aliexpress.com has seen year-over-year gains of 33% so far in 2023, marking the brand as one
of the leaders in the US. Though monthly traffic remains well below that of list leaders, continued
growth at the rate could boost the brand toward the top of the list in years to come.
Target.com (-18%), homedepot.com (-10%), and cvs.com (-15%), all saw double-digit declines
in 2022 and 2023. These brick-and-mortar brands may be losing traction as the world stabilizes
after COVID.
The U.S. ecommerce market has seen a decrease in traffic, impacting the growth rates
of top players. walmart.com and aliexpress.com appear to have a strong footing for 2023,
while brick-and-mortar focused businesses such as target.com, homedepot.com,
and cvs.com have struggled. This highlights the challenge of increased competition
from brands focusing on ecommerce.
13
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Domain
amazon.com
walmart.com
ebay.com
etsy.com
homedepot.com
bestbuy.com
target.com
lowes.com
aliexpress.com
cvs.com
Estimated Ad Spending,
U.S. May 2022-March 2023
$1.7 B
$414.6 M
$112.5 M
$88.5 M
$166.3 M
$33.3 M
$603.9 M
$17.2 M
$322 K
$41.3 M
Source: AdClarity – Advertising Intelligence
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ad Spending for Top
U.S. Ecommerce Players
Estimated Ad Spending Among Top Ecommerce Players
U.S. 2022-2023
When considering the top 10 players in terms of ad spending in 2022-2023, the list looks slightly
different. In total, the industry leaders spent 3.5B in advertising, with a massive range of spends
anywhere from 41.3M to 1.7B.
Looking at the individual players with Data from Semrush’s AdClarity App →, some interesting
metrics appear.
14
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Amazon.com is the dominant player with an estimated ad spend of $1.7B, which is more than four
times the second-ranked website, walmart.com.
Aliexpress.com spent the least at only $322K for the year, which is more than 5000 times lower
than the ad spend of amazon.com. Their progress in terms of traffic growth, however, has been
astounding.
Ebay.com, which takes the third spot in terms of traffic, spent less than homedepot.com ($166M)
and target.com ($604M), showing that ad spend does not beat brand recognition
when it comes to traffic.
As may be expected, amazon.com led the list with a huge ad spend to match their massive traffic.
But looking beyond the behemoth, some other insights emerge.
Primarily, the data also suggests that brand recognition and other factors may play a more
important role than ad spend alone in driving traffic, as evidenced by ebay.com’s lower ad spend
compared to homedepot.com and target.com, despite being ranked higher in terms of traffic.
15
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Amazon.com is a dominant player in the e-commerce market across multiple regions,
including North America, Europe, and Asia.
Regional players are also gaining significant traffic counts in their respective markets,
such as trendyol.com in MEA and mercadolivre.com.br in LATAM. The trend in regions with smaller
and developing economies suggests that regional players still hold significant
sway in their respective markets, and amazon.com may see its overall market share decline in these
regions as they continue to grow.
The top e-commerce websites in each region tend to have significantly higher traffic counts
compared to their closest competitors. While it isn’t true across the board, this trend suggests
there’s a significant benefit to holding the top spot.
Top Ecommerce Players by Region
The traffic data from March 2023 to the top domains within each region indicates some
interesting trends both within specific regions and across regions.
North America
amazon.com
walmart.com
ebay.com
Domain
By traffic in March 2023
2,075,585,761
928,669,986
519,317,106
Europe
amazon.de
aliexpress.com
amazon.com
472,629,786
355,241,344
285,725,993
Domain
By traffic in March 2023
Domain
By traffic in March 2023
LATAM (Latin America)
mercadolivre.com.br
amazon.com
amazon.com.br
170,959,307
170,420,873
155,308,916
APAC (Asia-Pacific)
amazon.in
rakuten.co.jp
flipkart.com
563,108,373
345,974,595
321,858,954
Domain
By traffic in March 2023
MEA (Middle East and Africa)
trendyol.com
amazon.com
hepsiburada.com
126,279,017
97,656,763
75,043,805
Domain
By traffic in March 2023
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
16
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Ecommerce Market Position Dynamics
Visualizing the competitive landscape helps develop an understanding of market dynamics.
We’ve mapped the top 10 players onto a competitive matrix according to their domain traffic
and traffic growth rate comparing growth in January through March of 2022 against
the same period in 2023.
Globally, when comparing January-March of 2022 against the same period in 2023, we see some
clear trends emerge.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Game Changers
Traffic →
Traffic Growth, %→
Niche Players
Leaders
Established Players
amazon.de
amazon.co.uk
lazada.com.ph
rakuten.co.jp
aliexpress.com
flipkart.com
etsy.com
ebay.com
walmart.com
amazon.com
amazon.com
walmar t.com
ebay.com
etsy.com
lazada.com.ph
flipkar t.com
aliexpress.com
rakuten.co.jp
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Top Ecommerce Industry Players’ Market Position Dynamics
Global 2022-2023
17
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Flipkart.com and lazada.com.ph are both Game Changers. Flipkart.com saw significant
traffic growth in 2023 and both players are expected to have a big impact on the growing
Asian market.
Walmart.com made the biggest jump from niche player to market leader globally, with aliexpress.
com maintaining its leader position with slightly slower growth in 2023.
While amazon.com continues to be a global leader, their German and UK domains saw a decrease
in traffic growth. Overall, the online retailer has maintained its dominance,
though threat from other players remains a reality.
The U.S. Ecommerce
Competitive Landscape
Looking specifically at the ecommerce landscape in the US, a slightly different set of players
dominate the market. While some of the major market leaders remain in place, some important
distinctions emerge, especially in the Game Changers and Niche Players categories.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Game Changers
Traffic →
Traffic Growth, %→
Niche Players
Leaders
Established Players
homedepot.com
target.com
cvs.com
aliexpress.com
bestbuy.com
lowes.com
etsy.com
ebay.com
walmart.com
amazon.com
amazon.com
walmar t.com
ebay.com
etsy.com
lowes.com
bestbuy.com
aliexpress.com
cvs.com
target.com
homedepot.com
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Top Ecommerce Industry Players’ Market Position Dynamics
U.S. 2022-2023
18
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
The leaders category includes etsy.com, ebay.com, walmart.com, and amazon.com for the highest
traffic volumes. walmart.com is the clear leader for increases in traffic percentages compared
to the previous period, with ebay.com not too far behind.
In the Game Changers category, Chona-based aliexpress.com poses the biggest threat
to market leaders.
Retailers with a dual focus on brick-and-mortar shopping experiences didn’t fare as well as online
only retailers. Cvs.com, lowes.com, bestbuy.com, and target.com all fell into the Niche Players
category, with cvs.com and bestbuy.com seeing negative traffic growth rates.
Comparing global and U.S. ecommerce landscapes reveals some trends. U.S. leaders are also
global leaders due to the country’s significant share of the global ecommerce market. However,
Game Changers like flipkart.com and lazada.com.ph are more influential globally, while aliexpress.
com makes the biggest impact in the US. This highlights the need for ecommerce businesses
to consider regional differences when developing strategies.
19
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Apps Data
Mobile data is becoming increasingly important in the ecommerce industry, as mobile
usage is on the rise again in 2023 after a slight decline in the previous year. In particular,
mobile apps are now the primary channel for consumers to shop online, highlighting
the significance of app data for businesses in this space.
The top three apps in terms of global downloads were Meshoo, Shopee, and Shein. All of these apps
are owned by companies based in China and primarily serve users throughout markets across Asia.
While Amazon tops the charts in terms of traffic volume, it came in fourth place in terms
of downloads. Likewise, Flipkart, Lazada, and Mercado Libre came in on the lower half of the list.
While brands like Walmart and Aliexpress remain chart toppers when we consider traffic volume,
they don’t even make the list of top 10 shopping apps in terms of downloads →.
The Top 10 Ecommerce
Mobile Apps Worldwide
The list of top shopping apps showed some familiar trends. That said, the list also included
some unexpected names. Here’s a look at the Top 10 as determined by research conducted
by Apptopia in 2022 →.
21
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
A mobile app strategy is an important component of any ecommerce business strategy.
As shoppers depend more and more on their phones to meet their shopping needs,
brands without a strong mobile app will undoubtedly lose out.
When looking at shopping apps as a category compared with other kinds of apps, there
are some important trends to note, as shown in this data from Semrush App Center
partner, Mobile App Insights →.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Mobile App Insights
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Conversion and Tap Through Rates by App Category
Global 2023
Conversion Rates
Books
Business
Education
Entartainment
Finance
Food and drink
Games
Graphics & Design
Health & Fitness
Lifestyle
Medical
Music
Navigation
News
Newsstand
Photo & video
Productivity
Reference
Shopping
Social Networking
Sports
Travel
Utilities
Weather
46.47%
64.37%
55.68%
61.44%
56.88%
58.72%
37.52%
59.69%
56.09%
50.52%
57.78%
60.25%
64.91%
43.39%
67.42%
71.81%
56.21%
59.57%
66.68%
77.30%
71.78%
75.28%
57.63%
61.57%
Tap Through Rates
Books
Business
Education
Entartainment
Finance
Food and drink
Games
Graphics & Design
Health & Fitness
Lifestyle
Medical
Music
Navigation
News
Newsstand
Photo & video
Productivity
Reference
Shopping
Social Networking
Sports
Travel
Utilities
Weather
4.12%
7.62%
5.86%
11.55%
4.37%
2.77%
5.42%
7.25%
6.87%
2.12%
5.16%
5.20%
7.21%
2.72%
20.73%
7.63%
7.86%
12.40%
4.90%
10.76%
8.25%
8.59%
6.84%
7.09%
22
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
In the shopping category, Costs Per Acquisition (CPA) and Cost Per Tap (CPT) rates tend
to be slightly higher than rates for apps in other categories
Compared to other categories, shopping apps had a slightly higher conversion rate at 67%,
and a lower tap through rate just below 5%.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: SearchAds.com
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Apple Search Ads Benchmark Report by App Category
Global 2023
Category
Books
Business
Education
Entartainment
Finance
Food and drink
Games
Graphics & Design
Health & Fitness
Lifestyle
Medical
Music
Navigation
News
Newsstand
Photo & video
Productivity
Reference
Shopping
Social Networking
Sports
Travel
Utilities
Weather
CPA
$ 3.11
$ 0.85
$ 2.82
$ 0.78
$ 2.62
$ 1.32
$ 4.17
$ 2.38
$ 1.86
$ 1.99
$ 2.67
$ 1.03
$ 0.94
$ 4.32
$ 3.63
$ 0.59
$ 1.68
$ 1.81
$ 2.92
$ 0.49
$ 8.74
$ 1.44
$ 1.95
$ 1.31
CPT
$ 1.45
$ 0.54
$ 1.57
$ 0.48
$ 1.49
$ 0.77
$ 1.57
$ 1.42
$ 1.04
$ 1.01
$ 1.54
$ 0.62
$ 0.61
$ 1.88
$ 2.45
$ 0.42
$ 0.94
$ 1.08
$ 1.95
$ 0.38
$ 6.28
$ 1.09
$ 1.13
$ 0.80
CR
46.47%
64.37%
55.68%
61.44%
56.88%
58.72%
37.52%
59.69%
56.09%
50.52%
57.78%
60.25%
64.91%
43.39%
67.42%
71.81%
56.21%
59.57%
66.68%
77.30%
71.78%
75.28%
57.63%
61.57%
CR
4.12%
7.62%
5.86%
11.55%
4.37%
2.77%
5.42%
7.25%
6.87%
2.12%
5.16%
5.20%
7.21%
2.72%
20.73%
7.63%
7.86%
12.40%
4.90%
10.76%
8.25%
8.59%
6.84%
7.09%
March 01, 2023 - March 31, 2023
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) Cost Per Tap (CPT) Conversion Rate (CR) Tap Throuh Rate (TTR)
$ 2.18 $ 1.16 53.23% 5.26%
23
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Ecommerce
Shoppers’
User
Behavior
The pandemic significantly changed consumer behavior and trends seen across
marketing channels, but as restrictions ease and anxieties lessen, how have trends
shifted? Economic stimulus, rising interest rates, and tightened business budgets all
play a role in changing consumer interactions with ecommerce in 2022 and 2023.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Desktop and Mobile Traffic Share Ecommerce Trend
Global 2019-2023
20 B
15 B
10 B
5 B
0
Jan’19 Jan’20
Jan’21 Jan’22 March’23
Mobile Desktop
Ecommerce Industry
Traffic Trends by Device (Global)
2020 showed an almost even device penetration, with desktop usage coming close to 50%. Just
as the world was slowly rolling back on some pandemic restrictions, the gap widened once again.
By the start of 2022, mobile traffic absolutely dominated the ecommerce industry, with more than
70% of online shoppers surfing ecommerce sites from their phones. This rise of mobile started
in early 2021 when we saw unprecedented growth in mobile usage compared to desktop—the last
time we saw a similar 70%+ figure for mobile was at the end of 2019.
25
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
In the summer of 2022, however, we witnessed a significant drop in mobile traffic.
This decrease reflects the overall decrease in traffic to the ecommerce market seen
in the middle of 2022, likely due to growing concerns about an oncoming recession
and decreasing purchasing power → among consumers as pandemic stimulus ran dry.
By the end of the year, however, mobile traffic had risen to a level similar to those seen
in early 2022. And after a slight decline after the start of the year, they seem to be
on the rise again entering the spring of 2023.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Traffic Share by Channel Trend
Global 2019-2023
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Jul’21 Jan’22 Jul’22 Jan’23
Direct Referral Search Organic Search Paid Social Organic
Social Paid Display Ads Email
Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trends Global
While the early years of the pandemic brought unprecedented growth to the ecommerce
industry in terms of traffic, the distribution among channels showed only slight growth
in the Direct channel, and slight declines in the Search and Referral channels. Starting in early
2021, however, distribution of traffic among major channels underwent some volatility that has
continued through 2022 and into 2023.
26
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Direct–After a spike in share in 2021, levels have fluctuated through 2022, with a recent downturn
at the start of 2023. Regardless of the volatility, Direct accounts for upwards of 53% of all traffic
in the ecommerce industry at the start of 2023, meaning brand awareness is still one of the most
important components of any marketing strategy.
Organic Search–The second most popular channel, Organic Search witnessed a high in early 2022
near 35%. The channel saw declines through 2022, though 2023 has brought an uptick in traffic
through the channel to closer to 30%.
Referral–With a boost through 2021 to a high near 15% in October, Referral traffic saw a decline
at the start of 2022, and flatlined through the year. 2023 brought initial signs of an increase
with rates around 12%, though in the first quarter, Referral traffic seems to be falling once again.
Paid Search–Accounting for about 2% of ecommerce traffic through 2021, the Paid Search channel
saw a decline at the start of 2022. It has remained steadily below 2% through the start of 2023.
Organic Social–Through 2022, Organic Social accounted for less than 2% of the traffic
to the ecommerce market. At the start of 2023, however, the channel overtook paid search
rising above 2% while Paid Search continued to drop.
Paid Social–Remaining relatively flat through 2022 and 2023, Paid Social contributed less than
1% of traffic to the ecommerce industry. After a slight increase just after the start of 2023,
the channel flatlined once again.
Email–Through 2022, Email traffic lingered below 1% of traffic to the ecommerce industry.
The start of 2023, however, brought a boost for the channel. Since January, the channel has
remained above 1.2%.
Display Ads–Hanging around 1.5% through 2022, traffic from Display Ads has risen above
2% at the start of 2023.
27
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Traffic Share by Channel Trend
U.S. 2019-2023
In the U.S. 57% is direct (compared to 53% globally), meaning brand awareness is even more
important when focusing on U.S. ecommerce markets.
Organic Search accounts for 23% of ecommerce traffic in the US, while Referral accounts for 13%.
These figures are slightly different from the global numbers, which show Organic Search accounting
for 28% and Referral accounting for 11% on average.
Ecommerce Industry Traffic Trends U.S.
U.S. trends in the Ecommerce industry closely follow global trends due to the country's large
share of total traffic. However, there are some significant differences that businesses should
consider when targeting U.S. markets.
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Jul’21 Jan’22 Jul’22 Jan’23
Direct Referral Search Organic Search Paid Social Organic
Social Paid Display Ads Email
28
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
While overall, social media plays a small role in terms of overall traffic distribution, it can’t
be ignored. Alongside the traffic it brings to ecommerce domains, it serves many other
purposes, including brand awareness, customer engagement, customer acquisition,
and customer retention.
When looking at ecommerce specifically in the realm of social media, some recent
trends have emerged that those in the ecommerce industry can’t ignore. By 2025,
the market for products sold directly through social media could reach $1.4 trillion →
in total. This growth is being driven by a combination of factors, including the increasing
popularity of social media platforms, the rise of influencer marketing, and the growth
of mobile commerce.
The Rise of TikTok
While Youtube and Facebook remain the behemoths in the ecommerce industry, Tiktok is
the next social media platform ecommerce marketers are looking to conquer. Having
surpassed 1B → users, the video based platform is changing the social media game.
When looking at audience data from top ecommerce players, we’ve seen the audience
using TikTok more than double.
Social Media
29
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Social Media
YouTube
Facebook
Reddit
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
Pinterest
TikTok
amazon.com
562.6M
365.1M
275.9M
266M
231.3M
117.5M
99.7M
92.1M
74.92%
48.62%
36.73%
35.43%
30.81%
15.65%
13.27%
12.27%
walmart.com
140.5M
97.3M
88M
74.6M
62.1M
26.8M
24.4M
19.8M
72.27%
50.05%
45.27%
38.38%
31.95%
13.79%
12.53%
10.16%
ebay.com
183.6M
130.2M
95.7M
88M
83M
36.2M
33.4M
33M
82.14%
58.26%
42.84%
39.38%
37.14%
16.17%
14.94%
14.76%
etsy.com
144.4M
104.2M
83M
75.9M
76.1M
34.5M
36.2M
30.7M
80.01%
57.77%
45.98%
42.07%
42.18%
19.1%
20.08%
17.03%
aliexpress.com
192.1M
119.9M
56.1M
67.5M
72.2M
26.5M
24.3M
30.4M
76.03%
47.46%
22.22%
26.71%
28.56%
10.5%
9.62%
12.03%
All devices March 2022
Social Media
YouTube
Facebook
Reddit
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Telegram
amazon.com
728.8M
495.8M
345.4M
341.6M
303.1M
215.7M
140.1M
105.7M
53.6M
75.31%
51.23%
35.7%
35.3%
31.32%
22.29%
14.47%
10.92%
5.53%
walmart.com
186.7M
126.6M
125.2M
101.9M
86.4M
62.5M
30.2M
26.5M
5.7M
63.63%
43.14%
42.65%
34.72%
29.45%
21.31%
10.28%
9.03%
1.93%
ebay.com
235.8M
168.7M
115.7M
107.9M
110M
73.8M
44.4M
37.6M
19M
81.94%
58.61%
40.2%
37.51%
38.22%
25.64%
15.42%
13.07%
6.61%
etsy.com
198M
148.6M
106.7M
99.9M
105.5M
70.1M
43.9M
42.7M
12.7M
79.94%
59.98%
43.07%
40.31%
42.6%
28.3%
17.71%
17.23%
5.13%
aliexpress.com
347.3M
212M
88.9M
125.6M
133M
98.1M
43.4M
38.8M
45.1M
76.11%
46.47%
19.5%
27.53%
29.16%
21.5%
9.51%
8.51%
9.88%
All devices March 2023
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Audience Social Media Preferences
Global 2022-2023
30
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Get more data with Semrush
ecommerce apps
TRY NOW
What is it about TikTok that makes it such a powerful resource for those in
the ecommerce industry?
Along with a growing user base (35% of whom have made a purchase on the platform →)
and hard hitting influencers, TikTok provides the tools on the platform to effectively
reach audiences.
Companies and creators can build their own TikTok storefronts, and sellers can create
web stores quickly through simple integrations with ecommerce platforms
Hashtag and keyword options allow sellers to improve visibility to high value audiences
Promoting products on TikTok can help businesses reach a younger audience, with 63%
of Gen Z using the app daily
As user numbers and ecommerce functionality continues to grow on the platform, those
in the ecommerce industry are sure to miss out if they ignore this rising social media star.
31
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Artificial Intelligence,
Augmented Reality,
and the Future
of Ecommerce
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) continues to grow
in popularity, the impact on ecommerce → is becoming increasingly apparent.
In particular, the emergence of sophisticated AI chatbots → is changing the way
customers interact with online retailers.
ChatGPT, a leading language based AI, has gained significant interest recently. The
sheer growth in search trends for the AI reflects the massive impact it’s having across
the globe. Keyword searches went from 10 monthly searches in November 2022 to 101M
monthly searches by March 2023.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
125 M
100 M
75 M
50 M
25 M
0
September 2022 November 2022
January 2023
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
ChatGPT Search Volume Trend
Global Q3 2022- Q1 2023
AI and AR are significantly impacting the ecommerce market in 2023 with rapid
advancements in language models, computer vision models, and machine learning.
These technologies are providing personalized customer experiences, automated
customer service, improved ad targeting, and enhanced operations.
33
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Personalized Experiences
AI can help businesses analyze customer data to provide personalized product
recommendations that are tailored to each individual shopper's preferences, optimize
pricing for shifts in the market, and customize customer experiences with their brand.
For example, Netflix's recommendations engine (NRE) → uses AI algorithms to filter
content based on each user's profile, analyzing data from each customer visit and click
to create hyper-personalized recommendations.
Improved Operations
From supply chain management to inventory adjustments, AI and AR technologies allow
ecommerce businesses to stay ahead of challenges and make sure they meet their
customers needs without burning out employees and wasting resources in the process.
Brands like Zara → and IKEA → use AR to allow customers to try on beauty products
and view furniture inside their homes. In doing so, they can limit their returns which
saves resources for their companies and prevents good products from entering
the wastestream.
Customer Service
By using Natural Language Processing (NLP) models, AI can understand
and interpret customer queries, provide relevant responses, and even make product
recommendations. Predictive analytics can also be used to analyze customer data
and anticipate future needs, enabling businesses to tailor their marketing strategies
and product offerings accordingly. The result is an improved customer experience
and increased sales.
For example, Sephora's partnership with Modiface → allows customers to sample
makeup in AR before making a purchase and their chatbot can provide personalized
product recommendations, makeup tips, and tutorials. The chatbot can also help
customers find nearby stores, book appointments, and track their rewards points.
34
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Most Wanted
Products and
Calls-to-action
For any business looking to thrive in the ecommerce space, knowing what consumers
want should be top of mind. Even if top products don’t fall within your particular market
niche, understanding customer desires and how calls-to-action work can influence
decisions when it comes to your strategy.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
walmart.com
Product Monthly Traffic
TUMERICA, REPAIR
SERUM 2 OZ
1,552,821
OXY Maximum Strength
Deep Pore Cleansing Pads
590,157
1Pcs Blue Interactive
Cat Toothbrush Pet
561,871
amazon.com
Product Monthly Traffic
The Lord of the Rings:
The Rings of Power
1,557,722
Apple AirPods Pro
(2nd Generation)
743,465
PlayStation 5
Console
377,385
ebay.com
Product Monthly Traffic
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
8-core 16-thread Desktop
140,622
Adidas Ultraboost 22
Shoes Men's
135,658
Adidas Duramo 10
Running Shoes Men's
134,774
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Top Products
U.S. 2022-2023
Ecommerce Industry Top Products
When looking at top products among the top players in the ecommerce industry, some clear
trends come into focus.
36
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
The top product across all three domains was the Amazon Original series Lord of the Rings: Rings
of Power. Monthly traffic to the product was close to 1.6M.
For each of the top players, the most popular products fall into distinct categories. Amazon.com
featured an original series, walmart.com featured a skincare product, and ebay.com featured
a computer processor.
Electronics were the most popular category of product that appears in the top three for these
retailers. Apple Airpods, Playstation 5, and the AMD Ryzen 7 Desktop processor all appeared across
each of the lists
The popularity of these products and categories offers insight into the purchasing behavior
and interests of online shoppers, and is valuable information for businesses looking to succeed
in this competitive market.
Top Emotional Triggers Featured
in Leading E-Tailers’ Ads
Each marketplace has its own triggers that appeal to consumers and inspire engagement
with the product ad and choose one platform over another.
We’ve analyzed hundreds of digital ads from the top e-tailers in the U.S. and pinpointed the most
popular CTAs within their ad copies. Some useful trends emerge when looking across domains.
37
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
amazon.com
find deals
best sellers
find best
customer reviews
reviews find
ebay.com
huge selection
featured collections
free shipping
buyer protection
protection program
walmart.com
free shipping
low prices
store pickup
free store
millions items
lowes.com
free delivery
buy online
online pickup
pickup store
store get
homedepot.com
free store
store pickup
shop home
free returns
diy projects
bestbuy.com
free shipping
curbside pickup
home install
top deals
store pickup
aliexpress.com
free shipping
buyer protection
great value
safe payment
check deals
etsy.com
one kind
free shipping
everyday supplies
talented creators
ready ship
target.com
free shipping
day delivery
store pick
day store
ship free
cvs.com
online store
store cvs
find relief
relief online
store online
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Ecommerce Top Emotional Triggers
U.S. 2023
38
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Free shipping” and “store pickup” are consistently effective trigger words across all domains. Low
prices and finding deals are also popular among ecommerce websites, with many featuring best
sellers and huge selections of products.
For more specialized domains, such as etsy.com and homedepot.com, unique trigger words are
utilized to appeal to specific customer bases. Etsy emphasizes "one-of-a-kind" and "talented
creators", while Home Depot promotes "DIY projects" and "ready to ship" items.
Buyer protection and easy returns are emphasized on aliexpress.com and cvs.com, respectively,
indicating a focus on customer satisfaction and trust.
Overall, the most impactful trigger words vary depending on the domain, but many
ecommerce websites emphasize free shipping and store pickup, low prices, and
finding deals to attract customers.
39
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
The Giant
on the Market:
Analyzing
Amazon.com
for Insights
In today's competitive ecommerce landscape, amazon.com has emerged
as the undisputed leader. With a staggering 37.8% market share as of 2022, amazon.
com has managed to maintain its stronghold in the market despite stiff competition.
Boasting a global customer base of over 300 million users, amazon.com has effectively
revolutionized the way people shop online.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Amazon.com’s Transaction Funnel From Cart
2022
Average Funnels
When people visit Amazon.com, approximately 67% of them check out a product page.
In around 12% of the visits, users add at least one item to their cart, and in about 8%
of the visits, users complete the purchase after adding items to their cart.
Total
sessions
100%
Sessions with
at least one
product page
66.73%
Sessions with
at least one
add- to-cart
click
11.94%
Sessions with
at least one
transaction from
the cart
8.12%
41
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
About 13% of sessions result in transactions (either directly or from the cart) after
visiting Product Pages.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Amazon.com’s Product Pages & Transaction Funnel
2022
Total
sessions
100%
Sessions with
at least one
product page
66.73%
Sessions with
at least one
product page
and transaction
13.27%
Estimates place the average ecommerce conversion rate → between 2-3% in 2022. With
this in mind, Amazon.com’s conversion rate is quite impressive. This data is not only useful
for those who want to carve away their piece of the market from amazon.com, but also
for those considering partnering with the behemoth to grow their ecommerce businesses.
“Special Occasions” Funnels
Amazon.com has “special days” that have a big impact on customer behavior.
Here's a look at the metrics for the daily average, benchmarked against
Amazon.com's biggest shopping days.
42
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
From this data, we can pull out some interesting insights and trends.
On average, the daily average for clicks per session is at 15%.
Prime Day has the highest clicks per session at 19%. This is likely due to customers shopping around
and looking for deals, which can lead to great exposure for sellers.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday had the second highest clicks per session at 16%, and also
the highest cart clicks per transaction. This suggests customers are adding more items to their cart
or are considering multiple options before making a purchase.
Christmas and New Year season showed the largest number of product pages per cart click. This
may suggest that customers are taking more time to consider their purchase decisions and are
conducting more research before making a purchase.
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Stats
clicks per session
cart transactions per session
cart clicks per session
product pages per session
search pages per session
cart clicks per transaction
product pages per transaction
product pages per cart click
search pages per transaction
search pages per cart click
Daily
Average
15.0
0.1
0.2
3.3
2.0
1.7
6.1
4.3
3.2
2.2
Prime
Day
18.8
0.2
0.4
4.6
2.6
1.7
7.4
5.0
3.6
2.4
Prime
Early
Access
Sale
16.0
0.1
0.3
3.9
2.3
2.1
6.7
3.6
3.5
1.8
Black
Friday &
Cyber
Monday
16.3
0.1
0.3
4.2
2.6
2.2
7.2
3.8
3.9
2.1
Christmas
and
New Year
Season
14.8
0.1
0.2
3.7
2.2
1.2
6.9
6.0
3.4
3.0
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Amazon.com “Special Occasions” Funnel
Global 2022
43
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
With the help of Keyword Wizard app for Amazon →, we looked at the top 12K most
searched products on amazon.com and compared their month-over-month search
volumes to identify which items saw the highest monthly surges in interest.
Top Trending Products on Amazon.com
in 2022-2023 by Month
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Month Product MoM Growth
disney
cutie cuff
4,052,900%
February ‘22
omkagi biker
shorts
1,372,175%
March ‘22
mohawk
putty stick
1,365,000%
April ‘22
generic
rubber
beach bag
26,091,200%
May ‘22
awesome
fathers day
gifts
143,333%
June ‘22
smart
register vent
5,077,600%
July ‘22
beaushiny
water wave wig
113,603%
August ‘22
Month Product MoM Growth
haynuts
leggings
2,011,275%
September ‘22
white key
fob cover
105,687%
October ‘22
rain cloud
diffuser
187,469%
November ‘22
aa batteries
24 pack+
50,555%
December ‘22
kids valentines
day gifts
14,646%
January ‘23
dr seuss
costumes
for kids
10,944%
February ‘23
air essentials
jumpsuit
800,400%
March ‘23
Source: Keyword Wizard app for Amazon
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Amazon.com’s Top Trending Products
Global 2022-2023
44
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Seasonal trends: Many of the trending products on amazon.com were seasonal or holiday-related,
such as a beach bag trending in May and the Valentine’s Day gifts in January.
Virality: Some amazon.com trending products may have gone viral on social media or online
platforms, like Omkagi Biker Shorts in March, possibly due to influencer or celebrity promotion.
Niche products: Many trending products were relatively niche or unique, such as the Mohawk Putty
Stick, the White Key Fob Cover, suggesting a market for specialized or unique products on amazon.
com.
From this data, a few trends and insights appear that may be helpful for ecommerce
businesses as they think about their strategy across the year.
In 2022 and early 2023, we no longer see the masks that became so familiar through
the pandemic. Instead a wide variety of products appear with a few important categories
including electronics, clothing, and office furniture.
Top Products on Amazon.com
in 2022-2023
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The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Source: Semrush .Trends
Mobile traffic
1.000 B
750 B
500 B
250 B
0
May’21 Jul’21 Sep’21 Nov’21 Jan’22
Amazon.com’s Top 30 Product Keywords
Global 2022-2023
Keyword
iphone 13 pro max case
apple watch band
dresses for women 2022
laptop
iphone 13 case
squishmallow
crocs
summer dresses for women 2022
desk
shower curtain
water bottles
lego
airpods
phone 11 case
apple watch
Sum (March 2022 -
February 2023)
19,629,501
18,999,134
18,555,237
16,850,651
16,532,116
16,303,226
16,096,817
15,968,219
14,861,899
14,639,232
14,305,968
13,517,272
13,505,466
13,368,219
13,175,698
Keyword
ps5
iphone
ipad
nintendo switch
air fryer
womens tops
car accessories
dresses
gaming chair
backpack
office chair
headphones
swimsuit women
wedding guest dresses for women
shoe rack
Sum (March 2022 -
February 2023)
13,152,754
12,967,353
12,795,172
12,640,006
12,413,065
12,394,321
12,087,504
12,049,423
11,967,990
11,488,740
11,373,370
11,249,246
11,156,230
11,114,195
10,783,457
46
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
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Apple products are very much in demand, as in 2021–there were 8 products associated
with the brand in the top 30.
The second biggest category of products includes different kinds of clothing. Dresses were most
popular, though swimsuits for women and wedding guest dresses for women were also on the list.
Office accessories were among the biggest winners on the list between 2022-2023.
On the list we see searches for gaming chairs, desks, and office chairs.
Here are a few trends that emerge across the list of the 30 most searched products
on amazon.com.
47
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Insight-driven Recommendations
for Shaping Your Future Ecommerce
Marketing Strategy
As the ecommerce industry continues to evolve in the years following the peak of the COVID-19
Pandemic, those in the industry are facing new opportunities and challenges. While the industry
has continued to see strong growth through 2022 and into 2023, those hoping to win the market
will need to keep a close watch on emerging trends so they can keep pace.
From shifting social media landscapes to advancements in AI technology, the ecommerce market
will undoubtedly continue to evolve in the years to come. Here are our main takeaways based
on the data covered in this report.
The Industry Is Poised to Grow
The ecommerce industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and that
growth has continued even after the pandemic. Looking ahead to 2023, there are positive signs
for continued growth, with the potential for another record-breaking year once 2023’s holiday
shopping season is accounted for.
Asian Markets and Ecommerce Businesses Are Thriving
The ecommerce industry's traffic share shifted significantly between 2022 and 2023,
with the U.S. experiencing a 19% decrease and India seeing a substantial increase to become
the second-highest country for web traffic. The global big winners were amazon.com, ebay.com,
and walmart.com, though Asian players flipkart.com and lazada.com.ph saw the most year over
year growth.
A Mobile Strategy Is Still Key in 2023
The rise of mobile usage in ecommerce in 2023 emphasizes the importance of examining
mobile data and shopping apps. Compared to other app categories, shopping apps have
slightly higher CPA and CPT rates, but also a higher conversion rate and lower tap-through rate.
The top 10 ecommerce mobile apps globally in 2022 included familiar names like Amazon,
but also unexpected ones like Meshoo, Shopee, and Shein, which are all based in China
and serve Asian markets.
48
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
Direct Traffic Is King in Ecommerce, But Don’t Forget Search and Referral
While direct traffic remains king in the ecommerce industry, accounting for 53% of traffic
globally, search and referral have battled for the number two spot over the past few years.
While both channels remain key for any ecommerce marketing strategy, search has emerged
at the start of 2023 as the second highest driver of traffic to ecommerce brands.
TikTok May Be the Future of Ecommerce on Social
TikTok is becoming a powerful resource for those in the ecommerce industry due to its growing
user base, the presence of hard-hitting influencers, and its emerging ecommerce tools.
With a significant proportion of its users having made purchases on the platform, TikTok's
built-in features, such as storefronts and hashtag options, enable businesses and creators
to effectively reach high-value audiences. As a result, companies who ignore TikTok as a platform
to promote their products risk missing out on potential sales, especially from younger
generations of customers.
Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality Are Essential
Rapid advancement in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) is
significantly impacting the ecommerce industry. Businesses are using AI to provide personalized
customer experiences, automate customer service, enhance ad targeting and improve
operations. Likewise, AR is creating new avenues for marketing ecommerce products, especially
in the context of social media. Ecommerce businesses that fail to take advantage of emerging
AI and AR technology run the risk of falling behind in the competitive ecommerce landscape
as consumers demand more responsiveness, convenience, and personalizations from the brands
they engage with.
Amazon: A Major Threat or a Massive Opportunity?
Amazon.com remains the leader in the industry, and has a recipe for success as seen in their
impressive 13% conversion rate, compared to the industry average of 2-3%. Looking toward
the future, amazon.com will likely remain the leader, but smaller ecommerce brands can still get
in on the action, especially those interested in products that succeed on amazon.com, including
clothing, office accessories, and electronics.
49
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
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50
The Future of Ecommerce Is Now
