Consumer electronics e-commerce in the UK – statistics & facts
From home entertainment to extended reality and wearable devices, consumer electronics comprise an innovative array of products incorporating the latest feats of technological progress. It is a category which has thrived online, as e-commerce made it easy and convenient for consumers to browse for and purchase their favorite gaming console or smart TV from the comfort of their homes. In 2024, the United Kingdom was the fourth largest market for consumer electronics e-commerce in the world, ranking behind electronics heavyweights the U.S., China, and Japan.
However, competition remains fierce among consumer electronics online shops in the UK, as overseas players like Chinese e-commerce newcomer Temu are slowly but surely forging their way into the industry.
Where tech and convenience collide
Consumer electronics was one of the most popular categories for online purchases in the UK as of June 2024. That month, another survey revealed that approximately 32 percent of UK shoppers bought technology and electronics online rather than in-store, a marked increase in e-commerce user penetration compared to pre-pandemic levels. This increase in online shopping adoption is also mirrored in the e-commerce percentage of Currys PLC’s total sales worldwide, whereby the UK-based electronics retailer saw its online sales share increase from 27 percent in 2019/20 to around 38 percent in 2023/24.Currys PLC: a homegrown market leader
In 2023, Currys PLC’s online shop, currys.co.uk, was the third biggest consumer electronics online store in the UK, generating an estimated 1.55 billion U.S. dollars in e-commerce net sales. Currys ranked third after e-commerce behemoth Amazon and Apple Inc., effectively making Currys the leading homegrown electronics company to sit atop the UK consumer electronics e-commerce market. While the company also operates in overseas markets, its home market was its most successful region in terms of e-commerce sales. In the fiscal year 2023/24, the online share of Currys PLC’s sales was 45 percent in the UK & Ireland, a figure higher than the global e-commerce sales share achieved at the company level, when other regional segments like the Nordics are taken into account.However, competition remains fierce among consumer electronics online shops in the UK, as overseas players like Chinese e-commerce newcomer Temu are slowly but surely forging their way into the industry.
