More Double-Digit Growth Ahead For Online Retail In US And Western Europe

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Online retail in both the US and Western Europe will continue on a double-digit growth trajectory over the next five years, according to two new forecasts released today by Forrester Research, Inc. Both US and European online retail will grow at a 10 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2010 to 2015, reaching $279 billion and €134 billion, respectively, in 2015. The forecasts include business-to-consumer sales excluding travel and financial services. The European forecast encompasses 17 Western European nations and includes a category-by-category breakdown of online retail across these markets.

“Forrester’s US and Western Europe online retail forecasts, in conjunction with the previously released Asia Pacific online retail forecasts and the upcoming Latin America online retail forecast, demonstrate Forrester’s global forecasting abilities”

“The online retail market in both the US and Western Europe remains strong, despite the challenging economy,” said Forrester Vice President and Research Director Patti Freeman Evans. “In fact, with consumer purchasing behavior returning to normal, US web sales in 2010 actually accelerated over 2009 compared with the prior year, growing 12.6 percent. In Europe, very strong growth in 2010 was fueled by new online buyers and higher spend per capita on the demand side, as well as the launch of transactional websites by established offline players.”

Retailers are supporting consumers’ increasing use of the Web in the US, helping to drive growth with new business models, such as flash sales and group buying, as well as improved merchandising to provide a broad selection of products available online. However, this growth comes at the expense of brick-and-mortar stores, as consumers increasingly spend on the Web, especially during critical shopping days such as Cyber Monday.

In Western Europe, the online retail market grew 18 percent from 2009 to 2010 and is projected to grow 13 percent from 2010 to 2011, but growth rates will then slow as the market matures and buyer penetration begins to level off. By 2015, 68 percent of online adults will have made a purchase online; however, northern European countries will see 80 percent or more of their online population buying on the web, versus less than 50 percent in southern countries.

“Forrester’s US and Western Europe online retail forecasts, in conjunction with the previously released Asia Pacific online retail forecasts and the upcoming Latin America online retail forecast, demonstrate Forrester’s global forecasting abilities,” said Vice President and Practice Leader of Forrester’s Market Insights team Jill Chiara. “Together, these Forecasts provide a robust view of the global retail customer, helping companies worldwide to strategize for current and future retail markets.”

The top-line forecasts are available to Forrester RoleView™ clients; subscribers to Forrester's ForecastView receive more-detailed forecast data.

About ForecastView

ForecastView is a syndicated subscription service that provides access to more than 40 forecasts across North America and Western Europe. Clients receive detailed forecast data and important market metrics that they cannot get through research reports alone. In addition, they also have unlimited Inquiries with a forecast analyst. Forrester analysts employ a unique methodology that includes deep, consumer-demand-side data along with supply-side metrics from proprietary company and industry sources. ForecastView forecasts provide insights into the development of online, mobile, and emerging technology markets. More information about ForecastView is available at http://www.forrester.com/consumerdata/forecastview.

About Forrester Research

Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 19 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, customer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programs. For more than 27 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful every day. For more information, visit www.forrester.com.