Check out the most popular online shopping categories in 2024. Use these insights to develop your sales strategy in the ever-changing world of ecommerce. Ecommerce sales have grown every year for the past 10 years, and consumers are currently spending over $5.7 trillion online. It’s no wonder that more businesses want a piece of that revenue. To compete, it’s important to know which product categories are in demand.

Below are the most popular online shopping categories by sales worldwide and in the United States.

Understanding Online Shopping Categories

To understand an online shopping category, it is important to look at two data points: how much revenue the category generates and how popular it is. An ecommerce category that is growing in popularity may be a smart investment even if it is not yet the most profitable. On the other hand, a highly profitable category may be a business risk if its popularity is fading.

Paying attention to individual trending products is also very important for your business. A product that has created a sensation can increase revenue for an entire product category and create a surge in interest in similar items. Let’s now look at the top online shopping categories by sales worldwide and in the US, and see which categories have seen the biggest revenue changes over the past year.

Top online shopping categories by global sales

Electronic products

With an estimated $922.5 billion in spending, electronics account for a significant portion of global e-commerce sales. The strength of this category lies in its wide range of products, from essential devices like smartphones to niche products like drones and smart home gadgets.

Fashion & Clothing

Fashion and apparel ranks second in the top online shopping categories. Consumers are expected to spend $760 billion on fashion-related products this year. The rise of fashion dropshipping has made it easier for entrepreneurs to start online clothing stores, while established clothing brands are looking for new collaboration opportunities.

food

With an estimated $460.1 billion in sales, food continues to be a popular e-commerce shopping category. The convenience of online grocery shopping and the rise of delivery apps are changing the way consumers buy food.

drinkables

Beverages are the fourth-largest shopping category, with an estimated $248.7 billion in sales. The popularity of craft beer, tea, and gourmet coffee demonstrates a consumer trend toward unique, high-quality beverages.

DIY & Hardware

DIY and hardware products are also popular online purchases. Consumers are expected to spend $220.2 billion on home repair and improvement items. Conveniences such as comparing products, checking reviews, and having heavy items delivered are big advantages of online shopping in this category.

furniture

Furniture is a similar sales segment to DIY and hardware, with an estimated revenue of $220.1 billion. The rise of direct-to-consumer brands continues to transform the industry. By cutting out the middlemen, mattress companies, home furnishings suppliers, and high-end designers can offer high-quality products at lower prices, making online furniture shopping an increasingly attractive option for consumers.

Media

Media ranks seventh with projected revenue of $193.9 billion.

Beauty & Personal Care

Beauty and personal care items are expected to generate $169.6 billion in sales. Brands that can offer new ingredients, price points, or niche skin care products often thrive in this category.

Tobacco products

Tobacco products are expected to generate $116.6 billion in sales this year. The availability of alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and vapes demonstrates how this traditional industry is evolving in response to online consumer preferences and regulatory challenges.

Toys & Hobbies

Toys and Hobbies round out the list with an estimated $89.8 billion in sales. Demand for toys and hobbies online continues to be driven by educational toys, collectibles, and craft activities.

Top Online Shopping Categories by Sales in the United States

Major eCommerce shopping categories in the United States are following global trends. Across the United States:

• Fashion is the highest-grossing category among American shoppers, generating an estimated $162.9 billion in annual sales.
• Food comes in second, with projected sales of $125.6 billion.
• Electronics ranks third, with projected sales of $120.1 billion.
• Beverages are expected to generate sales of $111.6 billion.
• DIY and hardware products rank fifth, with projected sales of $108.6 billion.
• Furniture sales are expected to reach $74.5 billion.
• Media revenue is expected to reach $37.7 billion.
• Beauty and personal care items are expected to generate sales of $28.4 billion.
• Toys and hobby supplies sales are expected to reach $21.2 billion.
• Luxury goods are last on the list, with projected sales of $14.9 billion.

Most popular online shopping categories

When we look at online shopping categories by popularity, the results are a little different. When ranked by total sales rather than year-over-year sales change, the top five most popular shopping categories worldwide are:

food

The food category saw a massive 51.6% growth in 2020, which was likely fueled by the shift to online grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. While growth has slowed in the years since, food remains a popular category, with growth currently projected at 24.1%.

Household Essentials

Household essentials also recorded a significant growth of 39.6% in 2020, reflecting the increased demand for essentials during the pandemic. The growth rate is expected to remain stable, with an expected increase of 22.2%.

drinkables

Online beverage sales are expected to grow by 18.9%.

Electronic products

After a decline in sales in 2022, online electronics sales have grown year over year, with an expected 18.1% growth in 2024.

furniture

The furniture category is expected to grow 17% this year, indicating continued interest in buying furniture online.

How to leverage online shopping trends for your business

Online businesses can maintain a significant position in the market by following the latest trends. By adjusting the product catalog according to consumer demand, they can reduce costs and strengthen brand awareness.

Here's how to make the most of product popularity data:

Experimenting with growing fields

Many businesses are finding success by optimizing their online stores for specific product categories, which allows them to offer specialized services to specific target customers. However, this approach can be limited by the size of the niche customer base.

One way to expand beyond your product niche is to offer trending products through additional sales channels. For example, marketplaces like Etsy or eBay can be useful for businesses to experiment with growing areas without compromising their brand or website optimization.

For example, if a business known for its curated selection of craft products wants to expand by offering handmade goods made in the community, they can first list those products on a platform like Etsy to test out a new market without having to make major changes to their website.

Understanding market demand through product research is also crucial for businesses to adjust their product offerings. For example, a business can use tools like Google Trends to identify popular home fitness products, and then source or manufacture similar products to meet demand in this growing segment.

Personalize your shopping experience

Personalization is another way to stand out when competing in top product categories. Businesses can leverage consumer data to understand shopper preferences and personalize the shopping experience based on that.

You can implement personalized marketing and store design through targeted email campaigns or customized product recommendations based on your customers’ search and purchase history. Loyalty programs also encourage repeat purchases.

Simply responding to your customers by name can improve their shopping experience and build stronger customer relationships .

Social media shapes online shopping trends

Social media is not only influencing the top online shopping categories, but it is also a significant sales channel in its own right. It is expected that by 2025, sales made through social media will account for at least 20% of all e-commerce sales.

As Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s purchasing power grows, businesses are adopting strategies to target them on social media, where they spend up to four hours a day . This includes embracing social selling, such as posting about products or setting up storefronts on social media platforms.

Online Shopping Category

Knowing which online shopping categories are trending right now is a great way to better understand your ecommerce consumers. Whether you’re looking to expand your product range, enter a new market, or improve your online shopping experience, use these insights to inform your ecommerce marketing strategy and decisions.

Online Shopping Category FAQ