The Rise of E-Commerce

E-commerce has become a near-ubiquitous part of life around the world. Since the advent of the internet, retailers have worked to make online sales a core part of their business strategies. Over the past decade, e-commerce sales have steadily risen across the board. The International Trade Association predicts the market to be valued at more than $36 trillion for business-to-business (B2B) businesses by 2026 and $5.5 trillion for business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses by 2027.

In the first quarter of 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce estimated online retail sales in the U.S. to be more than $275 billion, about 16% of total retail sales in that time. That’s a 5.6% increase from Q1 of 2024, compared to a 3.2% increase in overall retail sales. As more consumers opt for online shopping over brick-and-mortar stores, the logistics industry must adapt to meet expectations.

These shifts are evident across the supply chain, from last-mile delivery innovations to evolving warehouse operations. Consumers generally turn to online shopping for its convenience, and that extends to the delivery process, so logistics providers must continue refining their processes to stay competitive and maintain customer satisfaction throughout the entire online shopping experience.