The online marketplace is not only an easy place to find run of the mill stuff, but with vendors like Etsy around, buyers can also scout for one-of-a-kind products with ease. Founded in 2005, DUMBO, Brooklyn-based Etsy, is a leading e-tailer in handmade and vintage products. Here is a quick view into their rapid growth.
According to a Forrester release, US e-commerce sales are projected to grow from $294 billion in 2014 to $414 billion by the year 2018 at a compound annual growth rate of 9.5% between 2013 and 2018. However, that market still has a long way to grow considering that the total retail market in the country is $3 trillion.
UK-based Juniper research, in their report Cloud Computing – Enterprise Markets: SaaS, PaaS & IaaS, 2014-2018, estimates the global cloud computing market to be worth $90.7 billion by the year 2018. Within cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market is expected to grow from $23.2 billion in 2013 to $53 billion by the year 2018.
Today, China is the single largest e-commerce market in the world. Analysts estimate that by 2015, China’s e-commerce market will be worth $540 billion and by 2020, the country’s e-commerce market will be more than that of the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, and France put together. This remarkable growth is driven by the Chinese government’s ambitions of connecting 85% of their population to a 3G or 4G mobile Internet connection by the year 2020.
The niche US home goods market has a long way to go. Market reports suggest that the industry has a mere 6% Internet penetration in the country. However, things are improving with e-commerce companies like Wayfair.com, One Kings Lane, and Fab.com bringing the home goods market to the consumers in a way not available earlier.
A report by Euromonitor International estimated the US jewelry market to have recovered to $59.1 billion last year. The market is finally back to pre-recessionary conditions and is projected to grow another 14% by the year 2018. The market remains highly fragmented with no single retailer commanding more than a 6% market share, suggesting a big opportunity for growth and consolidation. Recently, Signet Jewelers acquired Zale Corporation, sparking interest in other jewelry companies.
According to Euromonitor International, the US home goods market is expected to grow 2.5% annually over the period 2013 to 2023 to be worth $297 billion in 2023. Researchers also estimate that the current US home market has very limited online penetration with a mere 7% of the sales being made through this channel. Boston-based Wayfair is trying to make a difference in this online market.
According to recent reports, the US online travel market was estimated to be worth $157 billion in 2013. PhoCusWright estimates that online adoption of travel services will continue to increase in the US from 41% in 2012 to 43% by 2015. An eMarketer report published earlier this year pegs the US online travel market to grow 5.9% over the period 2012 through 2017, much lower than the 20% rate projected for China. Little wonder then that the online travel market leaders are investing in alternate businesses and international markets.