Fashion e-commerce worldwide - statistics & facts
The fashion industry has undeniably penetrated the lives of the global populace, and with retail e-commerce sales reaching trillions of U.S. dollars worldwide, it is no surprise that the fashion e-commerce market continues to grow each year in tandem. In 2024, the global fashion e-commerce market is forecast to reach a value of over 781 billion U.S. dollars. With the help of internet and the constant development of e-commerce, it has never been easier to buy clothes online than now.
While Europe is not the biggest market for online fashion, among the e-commerce fashion companies worldwide with the highest market caps are Europe’s biggest online fashion retailers, Zalando, The Hut Group, ASOS, and About You. Still, with Asia being the largest fashion e-commerce market globally, net sales among the top online stores in the fashion segment are largely from companies headquartered in the Eastern continent. Additionally, the immensely popular Chinese fast-fashion site, shein.com, was the most visited fashion site worldwide in December 2023.
In the United States, where most consumers spent around 51 to 100 U.S. dollars every month on online fashion purchases, Target, Kohl’s, American Eagle, and Shein are among the most popular places to shop. Meanwhile, in China, Brazil, and the UK, clothing and shoes were the most commonly purchased items online in 2024.
Ultimately, the relevance of fashion in the global e-commerce sphere is undeniable; as different types of fashion and new trends continue to grow more accessible online, the future of the fashion e-commerce industry will also continue to thrive.
The scope of fashion e-commerce
The largest market for fashion e-commerce is found in Asia, where online fashion revenue is set to account for over 520 billion U.S. dollars by 2029, over 1.5 times the projected revenue of fashion e-commerce in North America in that same year. Of overall fashion retail sales worldwide, nearly 21 percent are e-commerce transactions.While Europe is not the biggest market for online fashion, among the e-commerce fashion companies worldwide with the highest market caps are Europe’s biggest online fashion retailers, Zalando, The Hut Group, ASOS, and About You. Still, with Asia being the largest fashion e-commerce market globally, net sales among the top online stores in the fashion segment are largely from companies headquartered in the Eastern continent. Additionally, the immensely popular Chinese fast-fashion site, shein.com, was the most visited fashion site worldwide in December 2023.
Apparel over accessories
For comfortable online shoppers, it has become far too simple to purchase products with just a few clicks or taps on a mobile device. As for what kind of items shoppers are buying online, apparel makes up the majority despite accessories and footwear still accounting for significant amounts of the online fashion market’s revenue.In the United States, where most consumers spent around 51 to 100 U.S. dollars every month on online fashion purchases, Target, Kohl’s, American Eagle, and Shein are among the most popular places to shop. Meanwhile, in China, Brazil, and the UK, clothing and shoes were the most commonly purchased items online in 2024.
Ultimately, the relevance of fashion in the global e-commerce sphere is undeniable; as different types of fashion and new trends continue to grow more accessible online, the future of the fashion e-commerce industry will also continue to thrive.
