When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (2024)

As an ecommerce business owner, understanding consumers’ shopping habits can help to craft an effective sales and marketing strategy. Aside from knowing why people shop online and what they purchase when they do, it would also come in handy to know what the biggest online shopping days and times are. In other words—when do people shop online?

When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (2)
When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (3)
When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (4)

When do people shop online the most?

According to a recent report, the biggest online shopping days of the week in the United States are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The report uses an index as a measurement and comparison tool, with an index of 100 being the average. It shows that Friday comes out on top as the most popular day to shop online, with an index of 118, followed by Thursday and Saturday, with 105 and 101, respectively. What this means is people purchase items online more than they usually do on these three biggest online shopping days, with a lot more doing so on Friday.

With regard to the least popular days to shop online, Tuesday and Monday take the crown, with indexes of 89 and 92, respectively. Wednesday and Sunday have indexes of 95 and 100, respectively.

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In other words, online businesses that want to spur sales may want to consider boosting their online presence (be it via social media marketing, paid ads, or other channels), on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Abandoned cart emails can also be scheduled to go out on these days to optimize conversions and remind customers they have pending items in their shopping carts.

Getting into specifics and knowing what time of the day online shopping peaks can help to further fine-tune your sales strategy. The same report shows that in the US, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. are consumers’ favorite times to shop.

If your target audience is located in another market, you’ll need to know when people there shop online and adjust your marketing plan accordingly.

For instance, in the United Kingdom, the biggest online shopping days are Wednesday and Sunday. Both days have an index of 103. Meanwhile, across the channel, French online shoppers are most active on Thursdays (109) and Wednesdays (108). Consumers in Germany, which features on the list ranking ecommerce market size by country, shop the most on Wednesdays and Sundays.

When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (5)

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When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (6)
When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (7)
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When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo (2024)

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When Do People Shop Online? [Jul 2023 Update] | Oberlo? ›

The report uses an index as a measurement and comparison tool, with an index of 100 being the average. It shows that Friday comes out on top as the most popular day to shop online, with an index of 118, followed by Thursday and Saturday, with 105 and 101, respectively.

What time do people shop online the most? ›

So what is the best time of day to post on social media to encourage eCommerce sales? There are two peak hours for online shopping — the morning peak, 10 am to 11 am, and a second peak at 8 pm and 9 pm. These peaks follow consumer behavior patterns and will change with your audience.

How many people shopped online in 2023? ›

Online Shopping Statistics-Consumer
YearOnline Buyers In The United States
2023274.70 million
2022268.20 million
2021264.50 million
2020252.70 million
6 more rows
Feb 10, 2024

What are the statistics for eCommerce in 2023? ›

In 2023, global retail e-commerce sales reached an estimated 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Projections indicate a 39 percent growth in this figure over the coming years, with expectations to surpass eight trillion dollars by 2027.

How eCommerce is changing in 2023? ›

In 2023, we can expect to see continued growth in social commerce, personalization, AR/VR, subscription services, and sustainable and ethical shopping practices. Retailers who stay ahead of these trends and provide exceptional customer experiences will be well-positioned for success in the years to come.

What is the best day to sell online? ›

Monday is the day that online sales tend to be the highest. This is partly due to the Monday Rush and the fact that people are in a “buying mood” after the weekend. As a result, if you can successfully target consumers on Mondays, you are likely to see an increase in sales and revenue.

What is the biggest online shopping day? ›

Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of our everyday lives and much of the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined back in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — continues to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it.

Who buys more online, male or female? ›

E-commerce shoppers mobile audience share in the U.S. 2023, by gender. Geolocated mobile user data from March 2023 revealed that men made up the majority of e-commerce shoppers in the United States with 53.1 percent. In comparison, almost 47 percent of e-commerce shoppers were women.

What is the best thing to sell online 2023? ›

In 2023, the most popular niches are health and beauty products, mobile accessories, jewelry and pet products. Do your research to hone in on which specific products can maximize your profits.

What state buys the most online? ›

California accounts for the plurality of e-commerce traffic in the US (13.47%), followed by New York (8.14%), Texas (6.63%), Florida (5.58%), and Pennsylvania (5.35%). At the bottom of the list in traffic volume are Vermont (0.24%), Alaska (0.21%), North Dakota (0.19%), South Dakota (0.18%), and Wyoming (0.15%).

What is the online sales forecast for 2023? ›

KEY STAT: Worldwide ecommerce sales growth will accelerate this year and next, after an all-time low of 6.5% growth in 2022. Next year, sales will cross the $6 trillion mark, half of which will come from China.

Who shops online the most? ›

Most online shoppers are 25–34 years old

There were 41.8 million online shoppers aged 25 to 34 years in 2022, the largest group among digital buyers. Here's the full breakdown: 41.8 million 25–34 years. 36.5 million 35–44 years.

Is online shopping growing? ›

U.S. ecommerce has grown at least 0.2 percentage points year over year since 2000, according to a Digital Commerce 360 analysis. The slowest growths were from 2007 to 2008 (5.1% penetration to 5.3%) and 2021 to 2022 (21.0% penetration to 21.2%).

What is the next big thing in ecommerce? ›

More Personalized Subscription Models

Subscription services have become increasingly popular in the e-commerce industry, but in 2024, I expect retailers will offer subscriptions tailored to individual preferences, not only in terms of product selection but also in the frequency and timing of deliveries.

What is the best ecommerce business to start in 2023? ›

Unique ecommerce business ideas for 2023
  • The ecommerce space is growing at an ever-increasing rate. ...
  • Subscription boxes. ...
  • Wedding products and services. ...
  • Vaping supplies. ...
  • Video games and VR products. ...
  • Pet products. ...
  • Online groceries. ...
  • Discount consumer goods.
Dec 22, 2022

What is the future of online retail? ›

Overall, the future of e-commerce in the US is likely shaped by emerging technologies, changing consumer preferences, and a continued focus on innovation and customer experience. Global e-commerce sales are projected to reach $6.39 trillion by 2024.

What time of the day are people online the most? ›

Young people also reported spending the majority of their online time during the hours of 3.00pm to 6.00pm followed by 6.00pm to 11.00pm ( Figure 5). None of the young people surveyed in the study reported the periods of 9.00am to 12.00pm or 12.00pm to 3.00 pm as being the time they were online for the most time. ...

What is the best time for online sales? ›

While November and December, with events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, are peak months for online sales, the summer months and post-holiday season in January and February are typically the slowest. However, with the right strategies, retailers can turn these slow months into opportunities.

What are the busiest shopping hours? ›

According to a 2022 survey, in which U.S. consumers who shopped at a convenience store at least once a month were asked at what time of day they usually shop at convenience stores, the most popular time of day was between 4 p.m. and 6:59 p.m., with 37 percent of respondents.

What time of day are people most likely to buy? ›

Consumers are more likely to make purchases online on Mondays and Thursdays, with the peak purchase time every day lies between 8pm and 9pm, according to new data from SaleCycle's recently-published 2020 Ecommerce Stats Report. SaleCycle's 2020 Ecommerce Stats Report is now available.

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