If you're running an online business or thinking about starting one, understanding the scale of the competition isn't just interesting trivia - it's crucial intelligence.
Are you diving into an ocean with thousands of similar fish, or millions? How crowded is your particular pond?
The ecommerce landscape has exploded since the early days of Amazon and eBay. What used to be a novelty has become the default way many of us shop.
And that was before a global pandemic forced even the most tech-resistant businesses and consumers to embrace buying and selling online.
So what's the actual number? That's where things get complicated and, honestly, a bit messy.
Depending on how you define an "ecommerce site" and who's doing the counting, estimates range from a few million to more than 12 across the United States alone.
Let's dig into what we actually know, what we can reasonably estimate, and why these numbers might matter to you more than you think.
Defining What Counts as an Ecommerce Site
Before we throw around huge numbers, we need to get clear on what the hell we're actually counting. Is a solo Etsy seller with 12 listings an "ecommerce site"?
What about a massive retailer that does 90% of sales in physical stores but has a decent online checkout? The definitions get blurry fast.
In the broadest sense, an ecommerce site is any online platform where goods or services can be purchased.
But that covers everything from Amazon to your neighbor's kid selling homemade slime on Instagram.
For our purposes, let's break it down:
"Pure play" ecommerce businesses exist solely online. Think Wayfair, Chewy, or Zappos. They have no brick-and-mortar presence and rely entirely on digital transactions.
Then there are "omnichannel" retailers - traditional businesses that have added substantial online components. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy fall here.
Are they ecommerce sites? Technically yes, though their identity is hybrid.
And don't forget the marketplace sellers - millions of individuals and small businesses selling through Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and the like.
Each has their own "storefront," but do they count individually?
That's where counting gets tricky.
So How Many eCommerce Sites Are There in the US?
As of 2025, there are 11.9 million eCommerce sites in the United States, a -13.1% drop from the previous year.
But that number demands context.
According to markingblog.com using BuiltWith technology data, there are approximately 11.9 million ecommerce websites in the US.
BuiltWith tracks websites using ecommerce platforms or technologies based on business location.
But this approach has serious limitations:
- It might count websites that have ecommerce functionality installed but aren't actively selling (like a restaurant site with an unused online ordering system)
- It doesn't account for cross-border complexities - what about a company registered in Dubai but primarily selling to US customers?
- It misses custom-built ecommerce solutions that don't use recognizable platforms
- It might double-count businesses with multiple storefronts using different technologies
There's also the question of "active" versus "existing" sites.
Of those 11.9 million sites with ecommerce technology, how many generated even a single sale last month? How many are abandoned projects still technically online?
The vast majority of "ecommerce sites" are small operations, many run by solopreneurs or tiny teams.
The landscape is incredibly top-heavy, with the biggest 1% of sites generating over 90% of all ecommerce revenue.
Growth Trends
The raw number of ecommerce sites has exploded over the past decade, with particular acceleration during the pandemic.
In 2019, pre-COVID, the US had approximately 3.6 million active ecommerce sites. By mid-2021, that number had grown by nearly 250%.
What's fascinating is how the barriers to entry keep dropping.
Thanks to platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, launching an ecommerce site can happen in a weekend with minimal technical skills and a few hundred bucks.
But here's the flip side - the failure rate is astronomical.
For every established ecommerce business, there are several abandoned or zombie stores generating little to no revenue.
Some estimates suggest that over 90% of new ecommerce ventures fail within their first four months.
Key Players vs. Small Businesses
When we talk about US ecommerce, the elephant in the room is obviously Amazon.
With roughly 40% market share of all US online retail, they're not just a player - they're practically the stadium.
Walmart, eBay, Apple, and Target round out the top five, collectively accounting for another 25% of the market.
That leaves about 35% for literally millions of other businesses to fight over.
Platform-wise, the US ecommerce landscape breaks down roughly like this:
- WooCommerce powers about 29% of US ecommerce sites
- Shopify hosts approximately 20%
- Magento accounts for around 12%
- The rest is split among dozens of other platforms
What's wild is how many tiny operations make up the long tail.
Over 1.5 million US ecommerce sites generate less than $1,000 monthly - essentially side hustles or hobby businesses.
Challenges in Counting Ecommerce Sites
Why are these numbers always estimates rather than precise figures? Several factors make exact counting practically impossible:
First, there's no central registry of ecommerce businesses. Many operate without formal business registration, especially marketplace sellers.
Second, defining "active" is subjective. Is a site that makes one sale a month active? What about seasonal businesses that only operate during holidays?
Third, the landscape changes daily. New stores launch constantly while others quietly shut down, often without formally closing their sites.
The fluid nature of online retail means any count is essentially a snapshot that's outdated almost immediately after it's taken.
Finally, many businesses operate multiple storefronts across different platforms or maintain separate sites for different product lines.
Count them individually or as one entity? Different researchers make different calls.
Conclusion
So where does all this leave us? The US ecommerce ecosystem consists of at least 12 million sites, but with incredibly uneven distribution in terms of traffic, revenue, and market share.
The sheer number might seem intimidating if you're looking to enter the space.
But remember that most of these sites are tiny operations, many barely active.
The real question isn't how many competitors exist, but how many are effectively serving your specific niche.
What's clear is that despite the crowded landscape, new opportunities continue to emerge.
Consumer behaviors keep evolving, new product categories develop, and innovative business models can still carve out significant space.
The barriers to entry for ecommerce have never been lower. But the challenge of standing out has never been higher.
Understanding the scale and structure of the landscape is your first step toward finding your place within it.
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