Consumers are increasingly heading online to fulfill their shopping wants and needs. The dramatic growth in the ecommerce industry presents entrepreneurs with many great opportunities to connect with shoppers by creating online stores.
Your ecommerce business can benefit from affordable marketing options, convenient access to a global customer base, and even enhanced online security. These and other advantages help make it relatively easy to launch an online store and grow an ecommerce business.
With numerous ecommerce websites dominating the market around the world, a closer look at the industry leaders in digital commerce is in order. This will help you to learn from these platforms’ efforts and strategies for your own ecommerce store’s benefit.
Top-peforming ecommerce sites around the world
Let’s examine some of the most powerful players in online selling in terms of site traffic, revenue, and more.
These are among the top ecommerce sites that you may want to get familiar with as you search for great ways to help you get your products in front of potential customers.
1. Amazon
Amazon’s history tells the tale of how even the smallest home-based businesses can expand epically in the ecommerce industry. This website launched in 1994 as an online bookstore, and its product offerings rapidly grew to meet the needs of its customers.
Its site is easy to search to find goods of all kinds, providing an enjoyable shopping experience for users. Furtheremore, the site offers free 2-day shipping for its Amazon Prime members and free standard shipping for orders of a minimum purchase amount.
In December 2024, Amazon.com had 3.8 billion visitors, according to Semrush. In addition, the business has more than 750,000 staff members. This makes the company a true ecommerce industry leader.
Amazon has a history of expanding to fill shoppers’ needs by buying out competitors, tapping into niches that it identified, and taking other significant steps. While its roots are in book sales, Amazon’s product catalog now features everything from sewing supplies and dog toys to furniture, clothes, tools, and more through its website and mobile app.
The platform also has numerous subsidiaries that include Whole Foods, Goodreads, Twitch, and others. This is one of the largest ecommerce sites that small-business owners can use to list their store’s products for sale and to connect with customers around the world.
2. Walmart
While many shoppers visit Walmart brick-and-mortar stores close to home, others take advantage of the convenience of online shopping through this retail giant’s website. The company’s website saw approximately 551.5 million visitors in December 2024.
Unlike Amazon, Walmart’s products are most heavily sold in North American countries, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Walmart sells groceries, furnishings, home décor, clothing, seasonal items, toys, and more. A customer shopping on Walmart’s website can choose to pick up their purchased items at their local store or enjoy the convenience of home delivery.
Walmart’s diverse product line makes it a go-to digital commerce store because it often serves as a one-stop shop for most needs. Smaller businesses can tap into Walmart’s expansive reach by listing their store’s products through Walmart Marketplace.
3. eBay
Another one of the best-known names in the ecommerce industry is eBay, whose website launched in 1995. The company's website features a unique auction-style platform design that enables individuals as well as businesses to connect with a huge base of customers.
During the month of December 2024, eBay received around 722.2 million visits from online shoppers. It sells everything from pre-owned and new apparel to toys, sporting goods, and even vehicles.
For smaller ecommerce businesses that need to get products in front of a larger pool of potential customers, eBay is a smart option to consider.
4. Target
Like Walmart, Target has stores in many locations throughout the US that customers can shop in directly. This company also has an extensive ecommerce site that enables people to conveniently shop online.
Target provides free shipping for online purchases, and it also offers in-store pickup as a faster alternative to further help provide a top-notch shopping experience.
Semrush states that Target.com’s monthly traffic volume consisted of about 222.7 million visitors in December 2024. It sells clothing, décor, toys, electronics, and other items, and it’s known for its many promotions and discounts.
Similar to Walmart, small-business owners can list their products on the company’s marketplace, Target+ (plus). However, this marketplace channel is currently only available to third-party retailers by invitation only.
5. AliExpress
Alibaba is a China-based ecommerce giant that dominates the industry throughout Asian countries and beyond. It’s known for connecting suppliers and manufacturers with direct buyers and resellers.
Alibaba’s online retail branch for B2C sales is AliExpress, and this platform received a little over a billion visitors in December 2024. TheAliExpress website offers a vast range of products, including electronics, fashion, home goods, beauty products, toys, and more—mostly from Chinese manufacturers.
It's a marketplace site where sellers list items at competitive prices, often cheaper than Amazon. However, shipping times can be much longer since many products come directly from China. Unlike Amazon, AliExpress does not have a centralized fulfillment network like Amazon Prime for fast shipping.
6. Flipkart
Based on monthly traffic, Flipkart is among the top 10 ecommerce websites worldwide, seeing almost 261.8 million visitors in December 2024. While it serves consumers in many countries, this India-based company is most popular with shoppers in India and in other Asian countries.
Like Amazon, Flipkart was started as an online bookstore. It gradually began selling an increasingly diverse range of products to serve its customers’ various needs. Today, the company’s product offerings include electronics, lifestyle items, home goods, clothing, and more.
Flipkart shoppers benefit from the ability to easily learn about merchandise for sale by reading a short description. In addition, many items are listed with comments from real customers so that shoppers can make an informed selection.
With affordable prices and fast delivery, Flipkart can help ecommerce businesses connect with consumers all throughout Asia to increase their sales.
7. Newegg
Newegg serves a more refined niche than ecommerce giants like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and others. The online store’s primary customer base is shoppers who are interested in technology and tech-related products.
This company’s loyal following and its product list that includes more than 3 million tech-related products are among the primary reasons why it’s one of the most visited ecommerce sites on the web today, bringing in just under 36.3 million visitors in December 2024.
Its many items for sale include tablets, laptops, development software, audio and video software, and other items. Through the Newegg Marketplace, both smaller and larger retailers can list their products on the Newegg website. By doing so, they can tap into a huge, engaged base of potential customers.
8. Overstock
Overstock is one of the newer ecommerce stores on this list, and it’s made a name for itself by offering incredible prices on quality goods. Products include clothing, jewelry, bedding, furniture, home décor, and even cars. This company’s website includes many items from major brands.
In December 2024, the website was visited by approximately 4.5 million shoppers from areas around the world. In addition to the great deals that it features for its products, Overstock is known for its fast delivery. Through Overstock’s Partner program, it’s also an ecommerce platform that businesses can use to list and sell their store’s products online.
9. Best Buy
Best Buy is a leader in its niche, and it features a robust range of products both in its many retail store locations and through its ecommerce website. It’s best known as an electronics store because it sells computers and related products, televisions, gaming systems, and other tech-related items.
It also has appliances, audio and video products, mobile phones and related products, car audio equipment, and more. Best Buy additionally has a mobile app and notably offers installation and repair services for some of its products.
While Best Buy is unique in that it's one of the few ecommerce giants that specializes in a niche, its website receives significant traffic, with around 222.3 million visitors in December 2024. This makes it among the top ecommerce stores in the United States today.
In addition, online sellers will soon be able to start selling their electronics and related products on Best Buy's new third-party marketplace, which Best Buy is set to launch in 2025.
10. Jingdong
Based out of Beijing, Jingdong, also known as JD.com, is one of the biggest rivals of the previously mentioned ecommerce dominant player, Alibaba. Based on Semrush data, in December 2024, Jingdong’s ecommerce website had 49.3 million visitors.
Although Jingdong may not be as large of a platform as the Alibaba Group, Jingdong earned approximately $22 billion more in revenue than Alibaba in 2023. The company is especially well known for technologically advanced delivery services, using drones to deliver products to customers.
11. Etsy
Etsy is known for its unique products that are mostly handmade or crafted by smaller artisans. Its products include everything from candles and soaps to holiday décor, clothing, and more.
The site received approximately 479.3 million visitors in December 2024 and easily makes its way to the center of the list of top ecommerce sites serving a worldwide base of customers.
Unlike other ecommerce giants that sell their own products or that resell products from major brands, Etsy is a marketplace specifically for smaller businesses and individuals to use.
Because of how easy it is for crafters and others to create an Etsy store and to start reaching customers, it’s often an entryway into the world of ecommerce for many artisans.
12. Rakuten
Founded in 1997 by Japanese businessman Hiroshi Mikitani, Rakuten is Japan’s largest ecommerce site, though it operates websites based in other countries as well.
In addition to its online store, the company manages credit card payments, runs the country’s biggest online bank, offers food delivery and travel book services, and much more.
Often called the “Amazon of Japan,” Rakuten’s ecommerce website features a wide range of products, and the company employs over 30,000 people as of 2023 Statista data. Semrush reports that the Japanese site’s number of visitors per month in December 2024 was 457.5 million.
In October 2018, Rakuten partnered with Walmart to launch a grocery-delivery service in Japan. This platform allows customers to buy groceries online and get them delivered directly to their homes.
13. Zalando
Zalando, one of Europe’s leading ecommerce platforms, is based out of Berlin. Operating in over 15 European markets, this company mostly sells a variety of fashion-related products, including apparel, shoes, and accessories.
Its online stores feature a wide range of brands, accommodating customers with different pricing preferences. Zalando’s German domain is the most popular in terms of monthly visitors, experiencing approximately 29.4 million visits in December 2024.
In 2023, this ecommerce forerunner had 49.6 million customers and 244.8 million orders placed on its various sites. Furtheremore, Statista notes that in the same year, Zalando generated over €10.1 billion ($10.5 billion) in sales across the company’s online stores.
Create your own online store with the WiziShop website builder
Did you know that you can list your online store’s products on many of the aforementioned websites to improve your visibility and to expand product selling opportunities.
Note that you do, of course, have the freedom to bypass creating your own store website for your business if you want to start selling online. You can always just plan to list your products directly with one or more of the many marketplaces available.
When people are just starting to get involved in online sales, they may wonder if they should use an ecommerce platform to create a store to sell their products. They often look for an easy, uncomplicated way to display their goods to potential customers.
If they’re lacking in technical or web skills, they might think that creating their own website and managing an online store will be too much work. For this reason, they may opt to skip this step and decide to sell on a single marketplace platform.
However, this probably won’t be the best path for business owners hoping tohave as much control as possible and optimize their experience in ecommerce.
Launching your own online store with a top-notch ecommerce website builder gives you more control over how you run your business. Having your own ecommerce website will also help you to better develop your brand!
If you’re looking for the best ecommerce platform to use to create your website and support your business, search no further!
With the innovative WiziShop ecommerce solution, you’ll have access to an extensive array of easy-to-use design templates to build a homepage for your site that accurately reflects your brand.
In addition, a dedicated team of ecommerce experts, our Business Coaches, will be available to help you every step of the way. With their knowledge and experience, they can answer a myriad of questions related to your site, providing all kinds of support in your ecommerce journey.
The WiziShop platform offers an enjoyable experience for users of all technical backgrounds. It features more than 400 incredible tools designed to assist in boosting your sales, all free of charge when you sign up.
With the platform’s intuitive design, building your site is super easy and can be completed without a huge time commitment!
Furthermore, you won’t need to add any third-party features (though you’ll have the freedom to do so if you like), and you won’t need to deal with any complicated installations. Everything’s already there to help support your sales efforts. You’ll soon be selling in no time!
WiziShop understands that SEO is key to succeeding in online sales and therefore makes it a priority for all users. The solution automatically supplies you with 50+ tools designed to bolster your technical SEO from the moment you launch your online store on the platform.
You'll also be able to avail of our incredible AI to add your products to your store in just a few clicks. The AI makes it possible to quickly generate not just product descriptions but also blog posts, translations, lists of pros and cons, FAQs, and other types of text content, leaving you more time to work on other aspects of your business.
We’re confident that our ecommerce solution is the best option on the market. If you’re still unsure, though, that’s okay! We offer a 7-day free trial so that you can see just how great the WiziShop platform is.
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FAQ
What is an ecommerce website?
An ecommerce website is an online platform where businesses and individuals buy and sell products or services. It enables transactions through digital payments, offering features like product catalogs, shopping carts, and secure checkout processes. Ecommerce websites cater to various industries and consumer needs.
What is the most popular ecommerce site in the world?
The most popular ecommerce site in the world is Amazon, in terms of revenue and monthly traffic. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, Amazon dominates online retail with a vast product selection, fast shipping (especially with Amazon Prime), and strong customer service.
It operates globally, offering everything from electronics to groceries. Amazon’s advanced logistics, cloud services known as Amazon Web Services (AWS), and AI-driven recommendations enhance user experience. Its massive marketplace also allows third-party sellers to reach millions of customers worldwide, making it the largest internet commerce platform.
What are the characteristics of the top-performing ecommerce sites?
You don’t have to compete with the top ecommerce sites to be successful in online sales. However, there are key website features that can help you better highlight your offers, provide the best user experience possible for your customers, and sell more products. These are a few of the key characteristics that can help your brand stand out in the market and succeed in selling on the internet.
- User-friendly designs
A user-friendly design in digital commerce means creating an intuitive, visually appealing, and easy-to-navigate website that enhances the shopping experience. It includes clear menus, fast loading speeds, mobile responsiveness, simple checkout processes, and accessible search functionality.
Well-structured designs reduce friction, making it easy for customers to find products and complete purchases smoothly. This improves customer satisfaction, reduces bounce rates, and increases conversions.
Optimized designs also build trust, encouraging repeat purchases and brand loyalty. In today’s competitive digital selling landscape, a seamless and enjoyable user experience is a high priority, as it helps in retaining customers and driving long-term business growth.
- Fast loading speeds
Fast loading speeds are key for internet commerce success, as they directly impact user experience, conversions, and search engine rankings. Customers expect pages to load within 2 to 3 seconds, and delays can lead to frustration, abandoned carts, and lost sales.
Slow sites hurt SEO, reducing visibility on Google, which means fewer visitors. In addition, a sluggish site diminishes customer trust and brand reputation.
Studies show that even a 1-second delay can result in lower engagement and revenue losses. Optimizing speed through compressed images, efficient coding, and reliable hosting ensures a smooth shopping experience, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.
- Strong security and trust signals
It’s also crucial to implement measures that protect customer data and build confidence in the platform. This includes SSL encryption, secure payment gateways, multi-factor authentication, fraud protection, and compliance with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, PCI DSS).
Trust signals like trust badges, verified reviews, and clear return policies reassure customers about the site's legitimacy. Security is essential to prevent data breaches, fraud, and identity theft, ensuring safe transactions in digital commerce.
Without these protections, customers may abandon their carts, leading to lost sales and reputational damage. A secure site fosters trust, loyalty, and long-term business success.
- Personalization and AI integration
The top online sales sites often leverage personalization and AI technology to enhance user experience, encourage engagement, and increase conversions. AI analyzes customer behavior, past purchases, and browsing history to provide personalized product recommendations, tailored discounts, and dynamic content.
Chatbots and AI-driven customer support improve response times and enhance the shopping experience. AI also powers predictive analytics, optimizing inventory and pricing strategies.
Personalization boosts customer retention and satisfaction, making shoppers feel valued. Businesses using AI-driven personalization see higher conversion rates and average order values, as customers are more likely to find and purchase products relevant to their interests and needs.
- Omnichannel experiences
Whether they sell furniture, books, clothing, makeup, pet supplies, electronics, or other kinds of products, many internet retailers have begun prioritizing providing an omnichannel experience. This entails offering a seamless, integrated shopping journey across multiple platforms, including websites, mobile apps, social media, physical stores, and marketplaces.
Customers can browse, purchase, and return items across different channels without disruption. For example, a shopper might add products to their cart on a mobile app and complete the purchase on a desktop.
Offering omnichannel shopping enhances convenience, improves customer satisfaction, and increases sales. It also strengthens brand loyalty by meeting customers where they are, whether online or offline. As consumer behavior evolves, businesses that adopt omnichannel strategies gain a competitive edge in the market.
Who is leading in ecommerce in the US?
In the U.S. ecommerce market, Amazon is unsurprisingly the clear leader, commanding over 37% of online retail sales. Other major players include Walmart, leveraging its physical stores for omnichannel shopping, and eBay, known for auctions and second-hand goods.
Target, Best Buy, and smaller online stores also contribute to the competitive landscape. However, Amazon remains the most influential, continuously innovating in delivery speed, pricing, and customer experience.
What is the best ecommerce platform for selling your own products online?
When it comes to launching an ecommerce venture and selling your own products on the internet, there are different options available to you.
You might opt to use one of the marketplaces offered by the top ecommerce sites mentioned in this article. It’s important to remember, however, that by using these marketplaces, although they offer a high level of convenience, you'll be subject to the sites’ rules, and you may be charged hefty fees.
To get the most out of selling on the web, consider creating your own online store to offer your products. You can go the open-source route, but if you’re not super confident with your coding skills and don't want to spend loads of time managing your website, it’ll likely be best to choose a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution like WiziShop.
You’ll be able to easily design a site that suits your vision for your brand using one of our high-quality templates. Then, harness the power of our revolutionary AI to create your product listings, remembering to add high-quality images to further bolster your product catalog’s appeal. Don’t forget that the AI can also be used to craft a wide variety of other kinds of text content for your website!
A knowledgeable team of Business Coaches, free ecommerce training videos, hundreds of pre-integrated features, and more are all also included with your WiziShop subscription. Ready to take the first step of your adventure in online sales? Launch your ecommerce business with WiziShop, the best ecommerce website builder around!
