Internet & Mail-Order Retail

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry sell products directly to consumers via the internet, TV, or mail order. Major companies include Amazon, eBay, HSN, QVC, and Wayfair (all based in the US), as well as Flipkart (India), Otto Group (Germany), Rakuten (Japan), Taobao (China), and The Very Group (based in the UK).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

US e-commerce sales grew to $1.1 trillion in 2023, according to Digital Commerce 360. Lessons learned by retailers and changes to consumer shopping habits during the pandemic are likely to further accelerate ecommerce growth versus relative to overall retail spending.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Although internet and mail-order retailers sell a variety of products and services, some of the largest product categories are medicines and supplements (about 25%), prescriptions (about 20%), and computers and peripheral equipment (about 20%). Many internet and catalog companies specialize in a single product category, but larger companies are expanding offerings to maintain growth and leverage brand awareness. Amazon has expanded from being an online bookstore to offering millions of products across dozens of categories.