After the recession in 2009, during which US retail online sales recorded a growth of just 1.6%, ecommerce rebounded in 2010 recording a healthy growth of 14.8% (excluding travel). This year, online sales are expected to grow at a moderate rate of 13.7% to reach $188 billion. With ecommerce nearing maturity, the growth is expected to be slower, continuing the pre-recession trend.
According to emarketer analyst Jeffrey Grau, in spite of the narrowing growth rates, more than $100 billion rise is expected in ecommerce between 2010 and 2015. Social commerce, daily deal sites and mobile commerce will be the chief drivers of this growth.
For the current year, breaking down the projected 13.7% annual growth, here are the figures expected in each quarter. The sales in 1st quarter (Q1) are expected to be around $41.5 billion, in Q2 $42.5 billion, in Q3 $44.4 billion and in Q4 $59.7 billion. These figures are based on the assumption that the economy will continue to recover. The holiday season is expected to result in the highest sales in Q4. Comparing these figures with those from the last year, the percentage changes in sales in each quarter are; 13% in Q1, 13.7% in Q2, 14.4% in Q3 and 13.5% in Q4.
Compared to the overall retail sales in the US, the growth of ecommerce is much faster. Meaning, the portion of the total retail sales in the US represented by ecommerce is getting bigger. This is good news for those involved in online company internet marketing as it indicates that the commercial environment is expected to be conducive for the growth of their business during the next few years.