Ecommerce sales show steady growth, despite retailers' losses

This is down from the huge spike that came with the initial wave of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. But the share has receded to a higher level than it was pre-pandemic, returning to steady growth.

When sales spiked in 2020, the ecommerce platforms saw their growth rise with it. Consumers migrated to shopping online amid lockdowns, and they sought to buy goods with many services and experiences shut down. Macro factors continued to have an effect for another year, with a round of government-issued stimulus checks and continued pandemic precautions in the spring of 2021 extending these consumer trends even as vaccination began.

“We definitely had pull-forward in growth over the last year or two given all the stimulus and change in consumer behavior,” said John Furner, CEO of Walmart US. On Shopify’s earnings call, CFO Amy Shapero said the big growth of Q1 2021 was due to COVID stimulus and lockdowns.

The supply chain issues and inflation that followed, in turn, would figure to create a tougher environment for retail as a whole. That extended to ecommerce, which arguably is even more dependent on supply and shipping working well than in-store settings. Add to it that inflation is making it more expensive to keep these sales engines running. Rising fuel and transportation costs were cited by leaders at Amazon, Target and Walmart as eating into margins.

In the first quarter, a more dramatic move toward reopening was layered onto that. As the Omicron variant surge subsided, more US municipalities moved away from mask restrictions and lockdowns. That's creating a correction that tends toward in-store experiences. Walmart CEO Brett Biggs cited the return to stores as a reason behind the company’s 1% ecommerce growth.

In the big picture, however, sales continue to grow. The overall retail sales number has now increased for four months straight, and March's number was revised upward to 1.4% from the original estimate of .5%. It reflects how consumer spending has continued to remain strong despite the rising prices that come with inflation.

“We're not seeing softness,” Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky told analysts.

To be sure, there is a shift in what shoppers are spending on as they return to pre-pandemic habits. Take Target, for instance. Despite a disappointing earnings report overall that showed a 52% drop in profit, revenue was up 4% to $25.2 billion for the quarter, indicating consumer spending remains strong. CEO Brian Cornell said toy sales were up as children’s birthday parties resumed, fashion and beauty ticked up amid a return to in-person activities and luggage sales were up 50% amid a return to travel. However, more going out meant discretionary spending on items like TVs and home appliances was down.

“Despite the fact that they might have worries about inflation, they're in charge,” said Christina Hennington, Target EVP and chief growth officer. “And they're making decisions based on their preferences and what they value, which means going back out, if that's what they want to do, traveling because they've missed it, seeing their friends and family again. And it's about moderating those behavior shifts and accommodating our assortment and our messaging and our relevance based on how those shifts happen.”

Cornell said the company was expecting these shifts, but they came more dramatically than expected in the first quarter. The changes in demand require planning, and businesses didn’t have time to prepare.

What's next?

Consumer habits will be closely watched. It remains to be seen whether there is a direct correlation between whether a more permanent return to going out means a shift to going out to the store.

As they look forward, retailers' actions don't seem to be in line with preparations for a downturn in ecommerce. In fact, they’re still betting on it for the future. At Walmart, advertising revenue, which is an outgrowth of its ecommerce business, grew 30% in the first quarter, while data monetization business Walmart Luminate grew 75%, marking one of the company’s bright spots. And there is increased blending between the in-store and ecommerce experience. Target detailed plans to renovate 200 of its stores to expand fulfillment capacity for same-day pickup.

"These projects make changes within the four walls of the store to add capacity for same day orders and incorporate features to enhance our pickup and drive-up capabilities," said COO John Mulligan. "When warranted, these remodels include the addition of walk-in coolers and freezers near the front of the store, adding reliable capacity for our team to fulfill fresh, refrigerated, and frozen items through our pickup and drive-up services."

As his company reported record sales over the two years of the pandemic that continued into the first quarter, Home Depot EVP for merchandising Jeff Kinnaird told analysts that more than 50% of ecommerce sales were fulfilled at stores, and the company just launched a $150 million venture fund to invest in new technology.

Looking ahead, there are signs that a rebound for the platforms could be on the way. Walmart leaders said early signs in the second quarter are good for ecommerce. Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah said the first quarter showed 10% improvement in item availability and 10-20% faster delivery times, indicating supply chain conditions are improving. Shopify said it expected growth to be highest in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, Amazon has a stronger logistics network after its pandemic-era buildout, and Shopify is strengthening its own, in part through the acquisition of Deliverr.

The last two years made predicting anything difficult, but it seems like a good bet that the current behaviorial shifts are unlikely to be permanent. After all, these macroeconomic forces are constantly shifting. But no matter what arrives, digital adoption is only likely to continue, and ecommerce will be driving steadily upward along with it.