The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people’s lives, causing major shifts in previously familiar lifestyles. While many industries have suffered severe setbacks, e-commerce has been one of the few to thrive. In this edition of “Atlas Perspectives,” we examine the U.S. market and global e-commerce leader Amazon, analyzing the state of U.S. e-commerce before and after the pandemic. We aim to offer brands innovative strategic insights for navigating the post-pandemic era.

1. U.S. E-Commerce Industry Overview: Accelerated Online Growth

The overall U.S. e-commerce market saw substantial growth during the pandemic. In the first half of 2020, revenue reached $347.26 billion, a 30.1% increase compared to the same period in 2019—far exceeding the previous year’s growth rate of 12.7%. Online e-commerce sales accounted for 18.6% of total retail sales in the first two quarters of 2020.

In Q2 2020, U.S. retailers spent $200.72 billion on e-commerce infrastructure, such as website maintenance and order processing—a 44.4% increase compared to Q2 2019. During this period (April to June), one out of every five dollars in retail spending came from online orders. E-commerce penetration reached 20.8%, up from 14.7% in Q2 2019 and 16.2% in Q1 2020.

2. Curbside Pickup: A Rising Service Model

Curbside pickup—where businesses deliver products directly to customers’ cars—has seen a dramatic rise during the pandemic. By August 2020, 43.7% of Fortune 500 retailers offered curbside pickup, a significant increase from 6.9% at the end of 2019.

Major retailers that had already implemented curbside pickup, such as Target Corp. and Home Depot Inc., reported significant revenue growth in Q2 2020.

• Target Corp. (ranked 12th in the Fortune 500) saw online curbside orders grow 734% year-over-year by August 1.
• Home Depot Inc. (ranked 5th) reported triple-digit growth in curbside deliveries by August 2.

3. Amazon: Strengthening Its Position as an E-Commerce Giant

According to Digital Commerce 360’s analysis of traffic data from measurement firm SameWeb, U.S. Amazon site traffic increased by 28.1% in July 2020 compared to February 2020 and grew 8.7% year-over-year. This was notable despite Amazon delaying its annual Prime Day sale to the fall of 2020.

The top five product categories driving Amazon’s e-commerce growth were:

1. Food & Groceries
2. Electronics
3. Household Goods
4. Toys & Games
5. Gardening Supplies

These categories reflect the pandemic’s significant influence on consumer habits. Notably, apparel, which traditionally dominates e-commerce rankings, was absent from the list as consumers redirected spending toward essentials. The rise of gardening supplies reflects a new pandemic-driven hobby, as lockdowns encouraged people to spend time cultivating their gardens—especially common in households with lawns or small outdoor spaces.

When comparing monthly traffic with both February 2020 and the same months in 2019, the data reveals a clear transformation in U.S. consumer behavior. Even as restrictions eased, the percentage of consumers shopping online continued to grow, highlighting the pandemic’s irreversible impact on purchasing habits.

Conclusion
The U.S. e-commerce industry has experienced significant growth in revenue, sales volume, and website traffic due to the pandemic. This demonstrates how COVID-19 has fundamentally changed consumer behavior, accelerating the shift toward online sales. As brands adapt to this new reality, the e-commerce market is poised for further transformation. The future holds exciting changes—let’s wait and see how it unfolds.

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參考資料 / References：

1. Fareeha Ali(2020) Charts: How the coronavirus is changing ecommerce (https://bit.ly/2Vh3gKu)

2. The 2nd Quarter 2020 Retail E-Commerce Sales Report (https://bit.ly/37gHbS0)