The worth of the global ecommerce market has nearly doubled since the start of the decade, increasing from $3.31 trillion in 2020 to $5.36 trillion in 2026.
What’s more, 87% of the global B2C ecommerce sales in 2026 will be generated through online marketplaces, as independent online stores continue to lose ground to vast online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, or Alibaba.
Still, the rapid growth of these platforms also suggests that they are getting more saturated as they attract millions of sellers from around the world, making it more challenging to reach customers.
As a result, ecommerce brands are under pressure to keep up with the industry’s latest trends, as the performance of their online businesses increasingly depends on their ability to meet customer expectations.
The emerging AI tools, sustainability, transparency, and mobile shopping are among the trends that will shape the ecommerce industry in 2026.
Keep reading to learn more about ecommerce trends and the challenges sellers on online marketplaces will face in 2026.
Key takeaways
- According to a recent survey, 92% of consumers shop online at least once a month.
- The growth rates of the North American, EMEA, and APAC ecommerce markets will range between 9.5% and 6.8% in 2026.
- Sellers in the US will continue to benefit from tariffs, as Temu’s growth is projected to slow down by 13.4%.
- 98% of brands expect the volume of global orders to increase in 2026.
- Product quality is the most critical factor for 65% of online shoppers.
- The worth of the global mobile commerce market in 2026 is projected to $2.4 billion.
- Over 50% of ecommerce businesses will continue to use AI tools in 2026 to enhance their customers’ buying journey.
Overview of the global ecommerce in 2026
Despite the disruptions in cross-border selling caused by the tariffs, a decline in purchasing power, and tighter regulatory requirements, the ecommerce industry continues to grow at a steady rate.
The early projections indicate that the total retail sales will exceed the $5 trillion mark for the first time in 2026 and grow at an 8.6% CAGR.
Additionally, the dominance of online marketplaces is expected to continue, with 87% of global revenue projected to be generated through them.
The world’s leading marketplaces, such as China, the US, and the UK, will grow at a relatively modest pace, ranging from 8.6% to 6.3%, which is far behind the fast-growing ecommerce markets like India or Indonesia.
An overwhelming majority of consumers in these and other markets have a strong preference for shopping on global digital marketplaces, like eBay or Amazon.
However, the biggest spenders often combine shopping channels and often buy products from global brand websites or through social media.
As a result, retailers should consider offering their products through several shopping channels to extend their reach in 2026 and beyond.
It’s also worth noting that choosing the right channel for a specific product category is paramount, as most consumers search for beauty or fashion products on global marketplaces, but turn to social media and regional marketplaces when looking for items for health or gardening categories.
Ecommerce trends that will shape online marketplaces in 2026
The key drivers of consumers’ purchasing decisions are relatively constant, since most shoppers prioritize price, product quality, fast delivery, and free shipping when buying products online.
Still, consumer behavior is constantly evolving as new technologies emerge and set new expectations, so sellers must adjust the customer experience they offer to align with consumer behavior trends and gain a competitive advantage.
In the last few years, AI, hyper-personalization, and mobile commerce have dominated global ecommerce markets, and all signs indicate that these trends will continue to do so in 2026.
Let’s take a quick look at the trends that will shape online marketplaces in 2026.
Mobile shopping is dominating ecommerce sales
Approximately 1.6 billion consumers used mobile devices to make online purchases in 2025, and this number is expected to continue increasing in the years to come.
The value of the m-commerce market in 2025 is projected at $1.46 trillion, and it is expected to grow to $2.74 trillion by the end of 2026.
Furthermore, over 60% of all ecommerce transactions in 2026 will occur on mobile devices, which is why sellers must ensure that their product listings are fully optimized for mobile to capitalize on this shopping trend and increase their revenue.
Social commerce is transforming customer behavior
Social media platforms already play an important role in customers’ buying journeys. 72% of internet users worldwide use social media to discover and research products and brands before making purchasing decisions.
Approximately 80.4 million TikTok users are expected to make purchases through the platform, while 44% of Instagram users plan to use the platform to shop at least once a week.
Hence, leveraging the power of social shopping will become even more important for sellers on online marketplaces, providing them with a reliable source of organic traffic and generating external revenue streams.
Hyper-personalization powered by artificial intelligence is driving the digital transformation
Amazon, eBay, and other popular marketplaces are making a push toward agentic, conversational commerce and hyper-personalization, which should make the shopping experience more convenient for consumers.
The value of the global generative AI in the ecommerce market will reach $11.12 billion in 2026, and it is anticipated to double by the end of the decade.
Consequently, to keep up with the rapidly changing ecommerce landscape, businesses must find ways to implement automation tools into their workflows and ensure that their product listings are included in the hyper-personalized recommendations AI shopping agents make.
Sustainability and operational transparency
Consumer expectations have already shifted towards sustainable products, since 9.7% of shoppers say that they are willing to spend more on sustainably sourced and produced items.
Moreover, transparent supply chains are becoming an increasingly important factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions, as 74% of shoppers prefer buying products from businesses that offer full transparency of their sustainability efforts.
Consequently, sellers on online marketplaces should audit their supply chains and update their product descriptions to include sustainability data to meet the customer expectations in 2026.
The biggest challenges cross-border sellers will face in 2026
Even though all signs point to 2026 being a year of growth for the ecommerce industry, sellers on online marketplaces will face a broad range of challenges during the next year.
Besides the increasingly fierce competition caused by the saturation of online marketplaces, merchants will also face higher operational costs, mounting regulatory obligations, and strong pressure to maximize the efficiency of their fulfillment process.
Let’s explore some of the biggest challenges online sellers may be facing in 2026.
The rising costs of low-value shipments and landed cost exposure
Only a couple of months after the US introduced tariffs for low-value shipments, the EU announced the end of its €150 de minimis exemption, effective from 2026.
Consequently, cross-border sellers will be exposed to higher landed costs and must decide whether to absorb these additional costs or pass them on to consumers.
Moreover, sellers on online marketplaces in the US and the EU must audit their international strategies and inventories to determine how many of their products rely on the de minimis customs duty exception and calculate their potential costs.
Overcoming compliance challenges
Aside from the additional costs, the repeal of the de minimis exemption also increases the regulatory burden sellers must shoulder.
As a result, cross-border sellers will have to calculate customs duties for products from different categories, ensure that all customs declarations are completed accurately, and supply the necessary transport documentation for all low-value shipments they deliver within the EU or the US.
Hence, sellers on international marketplaces must find efficient solutions that enable them to reduce the time spent on administrative tasks and avoid potential delivery delays.
Updating the fulfilment process
Delivery speed is a more important factor than free shipping or free returns for over 40% of online shoppers.
However, tariffs are likely to continue to disrupt global supply chains in 2026, causing delivery delays and frustration for consumers.
Therefore, switching from D2C fulfilment to alternative fulfilment models may provide online merchants with a way to meet the expectations of their customers, build customer loyalty, and avoid delays.
Sellers should explore shipping their inventory to warehouses in the US or the EU to avoid additional costs and minimize delays.
Which product categories will be in demand in 2026?
Fashion, personal beauty and care, and electronics are traditionally among the most popular product categories among online shoppers.
Early projections indicate that products from these categories will continue to be in high demand in 2026.
58.85% of online shoppers are expected to purchase items from the fashion and apparel category during 2026. This category is slightly more popular among women than men, as 62% of women buy fashion and apparel items frequently compared to 54.67% of men.
On the other hand, 53.4% of male consumers frequently purchase Electronics, while only 20.1% of female shoppers do so regularly.
Other trending product categories on online marketplaces in 2026 include Home & Gardening, Health, Toys, and Hobby Items.
It’s also important to note that Gen Z and Gen X consumers are expected to remain among the most active shoppers on online marketplaces in 2026. That’s why sellers should focus on creating digital marketing strategies that target consumers from these age groups.
Operational readiness as a prerequisite for growth on domestic and international ecommerce markets in 2026
The continued growth of the ecommerce market’s value and the dominance of global online marketplaces indicate that 2026 could be a record year for sellers on eBay, Amazon, and similar platforms.
However, to succeed in increasingly competitive online marketplaces, sellers must enter the year ready to embrace the latest industry trends, tackle the logistics and regulatory challenges, and improve customer satisfaction throughout the entire buying journey.
In 2026, ensuring full operational readiness by auditing their inventories, updating product listings, and streamlining repetitive tasks will be crucial for sellers who want to continue scaling their businesses on domestic and international markets.
Are you struggling to grow your business on eBay? Schedule a call to discover how Webinterpret can help boost your domestic and cross-border sales and drive your business’s growth.
About Webinterpret
Webinterpret supports merchants selling on eBay.
Our AI-based solutions enable more effective selling through automated listing localization, advertising, and returns, and ensure all products placed on EU markets are GPSR-compliant.
By giving your international customers a full, end-to-end local shopping experience, Webinterpret improves your conversion and helps establish your business globally.
