Global e-commerce revenues up by 58% in Q1 2021

The e-commerce turnover continued to grow, according to the Shopping Index, which is based on data from over a billion consumers worldwide. Global e-commerce revenues grew 58 percent y/y in the first quarter. Interestingly, one of the most profitable categories are the luxury handbags, next to household appliances and sports equipment. The level of purchases made by mobile devices is also clearly growing. The report shows that retailers should have well-functioning product search engines on their sites.

Salesforce started tracking the pandemic-induced surge in e-commerce with the 2020 Q1 Shopping Index when consumers shifted their purchases online in March last year. With the publication of the index for the first quarter of 2021, we can see how the pandemic has brought with it a new wave of online shoppers who will stay with us for good. Data for Q1 show that habits formed during the year and in the 2020 holiday season are persistent, and retailers and consumers are shifting to the Internet in response to the pandemic.

"Last year, retailers had to be bold in responding to the influx of new digital customers and adopting new solutions such as in-store pickup while keeping consumers safe," Rob Garf, vice president, and general manager, Retail, at Salesforce, said.

“E-commerce growth in the first quarter is a signal that retailers will need to continue investing in digital commerce while focusing on in-store service. Ultimately, stores need to strike a balance between non-contact and end-to-end service. All this to meet the diverse needs of consumers,” Garf added.

(WBJ)