Most Popular Online Shopping Categories: Trends & Insights

TL/DR summary

The top online shopping categories globally, by revenue, are consumer electronics, Fashion, Food, and Beverages, with US rankings showing Fashion on top. Growth momentum (Food, Household Essentials, Beverages, consumer electronics, and Furniture) signals where to place smart bets. Mobile commerce and social commerce now orchestrate most discovery and a growing share of conversion; marketplaces dominate first‑touch, while online stores and mobile apps secure loyalty.

Key pointers:

• Use the global and US revenue anchors to set category‑level market share goals.

• Prioritise mobile shopping UX and search engine hygiene; meet consumers' shopping behaviour where it starts.

• Test subscriptions in Food, Beverages, and personal care to drive repeat purchases.

• Allocate incremental budget to growth categories and promote via social media channels.

• Align logistics promises with category norms to avoid returns drag.

Keep a tight read on online shopping categories and move inventory behind what customers actually buy, not what the calendar suggests.

Top online shopping categories:

Introduction

Top online shopping categories remain a moving target because consumer behaviour shifts with devices, discovery channels, and fulfilment promises. For leaders, the point is not simply to chase viral items but to study online shopping data, read category momentum, and align assortment with customer expectations.

The categories that dominate search, baskets, and ecommerce sales shape pricing playbooks, merchandising, and working capital. Understanding online shopping trends and the composition of shopping categories helps an online business choose the right product categories, allocate marketing spend, and decide what to stock in a physical store versus what to prioritize for shopping online.

This article consolidates the latest directional numbers on online shopping categories and translates them into practical signals for US leaders operating ecommerce websites and online stores.

Mapping the field: Global category revenue and share

A sensible entry point is the list of worldwide shopping categories' revenue. Use these anchors to frame market share, then adapt to your brand’s product category and unit economics.

Global leaders by revenue (Worldwide)

• Consumer Electronics: $922.5B forecast. Scope ranges from smartphones and PCs to drones and smart‑home gear. Broad catalogues and rapid cycles keep this category among the top online shopping categories.

• Fashion & Apparel: $760B expected. Assorted fits, colourways, and drops create frequent online purchase cycles.

• Food: $460.1B projected, accelerated by online grocery shopping and quick‑commerce fulfilment.

• Beverages: $248.7B projected; specialty coffee/tea and premium segments underpin high demand.

• DIY & Hardware: $220.2B forecast as comparison, and doorstep delivery beats store‑carry friction.

• Furniture: $220.1B projected; DTC disruptors and flexible returns normalise bulky online shopping experience.

• Media: $193.9B projected across physical/digital mixes.

• Beauty & Personal Care: $169.6B projected; kits and refills support repeat purchases.

• Tobacco Products: $116.6B projected amid regulatory and substitution dynamics.

• Toys & Hobbies: $89.8B projected; education and collector niches sustain demand.

Global totals shape your pricing strategies and inventory depth, but popularity among online shoppers can diverge from revenue. At the same time, online shopping habits also impact global eCommerce sales. Track trending products and “breakout” items within each online shopping category to avoid stale stock.

The US picture: Category revenue and mix

The US mix mirrors global patterns, with a few flips that matter for online businesses planning their assortments.

• Fashion: $162.9B (top earner among US shoppers). Drops, collabs, and returns handling define margin.

• Food: $125.6B; baskets are routine and replenishment‑heavy.

• Consumer Electronics: $120.1B; attachments and warranties drive margin.

• Beverages: $111.6B; premiumization and subscriptions add stickiness.

• DIY & Hardware: $108.6B; research‑first buyers rely on content and reviews.

• Furniture: $74.5B; logistics promises make-or-break conversion.

• Media: $37.7B.

• Beauty & Personal Care: $28.4B.

• Toys & Hobbies: $21.2B.

• Luxury Goods: $14.9B.

Bar graph: “World vs US — Category Revenue Snapshot” compares overlapping categories to show relative market share.

Growth and popularity: Where momentum lives

Beyond headline revenue, trajectory matters. When ranking by annual revenue change rather than totals, the popular online shopping categories list shifts:

• Food: +51.6% in 2020, then +24.1% current projection; durable behavior shift to shopping online for everyday essentials.

• Household Essentials: +39.6% in 2020; 22.2% expected increase—steady replenishment logic.

• Beverages: +18.9%; premium niches help AOV resilience.

• Consumer Electronics: After a 2022 dip, +18.1% projected for 2024; upgrades and accessories revive demand.

• Furniture: +17% expected; visualisation tools and generous returns narrow the gap with physical stores.

So what? Momentum categories deserve test budgets on social commerce, curated bundles, and faster PDP‑to‑cart flows. Watch Google Trends and search engines for nascent signals and skew your mobile apps catalogues accordingly.

Channels and devices: Who orchestrates demand

• Online marketplaces capture the largest share of online purchases; Amazon’s scale and frequency make it a de facto search layer for internet users.

• Mobile devices now drive nearly 80% of retail website visits and the majority of orders globally; in several Asian markets, mobile contributes 70%+ of ecommerce sales.

• Social commerce is set to account for at least 20% of total retail sales within digital commerce, making social media channels a primary venue where consumers shop and shop online directly.

Optimize PDPs for mobile shopping, keep checkout under three steps, offer free shipping thresholds, and align media with the category covers you lead. For items, people still want to shop in-store, use local inventory ads, and drive‑to‑store messaging from mobile commerce placements.

Strategy notes for merchants by product category

Based on the data, the following strategies can help stay competitive in the marketplace.

• Consumer Electronics: Invest in attachment architecture (cases, chargers, warranties). Calibrate online store taxonomy around ecosystems (e.g., phone + wearable + home device) to increase multi‑line online purchases.

• Fashion & Apparel: Use size/fit tools and post‑purchase loopbacks to defend margin. Creators on social media platforms accelerate discovery among younger customers and female shoppers.

• Food & Beverages: Lean into subscriptions and delivery windows. Convenience beats price in many online retail missions.

• DIY, Furniture: Rich content and AR shorten consideration. Clarify delivery SLAs in the eCommerce store's PDPs to reduce cart abandonment.

• Beauty & Personal Care: Bundle refills and samples; average order value rises with smart cross‑sell.

• Toys & Hobbies: Community content matters; hobby supplies thrive on launch calendars and loyalty.

Closing remarks on the top online shopping categories

The top online shopping categories are a moving curve, not a fixed list. Winners combine sharp category focus with flexible channels: emphasise mobile devices, deepen social commerce, and let marketplace presence validate catalogue fit while your owned online stores capture repeat value.

The discipline is simple: track category market trends, test with modest buys, and scale what converts. In a year where ecommerce growth remains structurally positive, the merchants who balance velocity categories with defensible differentiation will compound advantage, online and, where it still fits, in physical stores.

Reference Sources

• Top Online Shopping Categories (2025) - Shopify

• E-commerce worldwide - statistics & facts - Statista