3 Rising E-commerce Categories for Millennial Shoppers

As we’ve said before, targeting millennials should be a part of your e-commerce growth strategy—after all, this generation makes up a quarter of the world’s population and 21 percent of consumer discretionary purchases, estimated to be more than a trillion dollars in direct buying power.

We currently have our eye on three e-commerce categories that we believe will continue to grow in popularity with the millennial audience: health, fresh food, and handcrafted goods.

Health

At $300 billion a year in sales, health and personal care is the second-largest retail category in the U.S. behind groceries. However, we are just now seeing online retailers come into their own in this space. According to e-commerce analytics firm Profitero, more than a third of the best-selling groceries on Amazon are wellness-related products. Millennials are eating smarter and exercising more than previous generations, and they’re willing to pay less elsewhere but more for athletic gear and apparel. In fact, one study listed athleisure apparel (think yoga pants) among the top 10 things millennials spend the most on. We expect this trend to continue to grow across the board, with more millennials making their health a priority.

Fresh Food

With subscription meal services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh continuing to grow in subscribers and company value, we think that fresh food e-commerce is here to stay. Market research firm Packaged Facts estimates that the U.S. meal kit delivery services market will grow to a multi-billion dollar market over the next five years. And it’s not just subscription meal services—online grocery shopping is also on the rise. The share of online grocery spending is estimated to reach $100 billion in annual consumer sales by 2025, according to the recently released Digitally Engaged Food Shopper Study, which also found that millennial shoppers were more willing to buy groceries online in the future than other consumer groups. There’s no doubt that the convenience of fresh food delivery will continue to appeal to millennials.

Handcrafted Goods

Personalization has always been key to winning over a millennial audience, so it should come as no surprise that handcrafted goods are a market we expect to continue to grow this year. Over 20 percent of U.S. adults said in a recent Pew survey that they have purchased a handmade product online, with college-educated women being the core customer group for online retailer’s handmade goods. Check out our online marketplaces page for more information on selling your handmade goods online.

About Endicia

Endicia is a leading provider of internet-based postage services that make it easier and more affordable to ship parcels through the U.S. Postal Service®. We know that shipping can be complex and our goal is to simplify your shipping operations so you can focus on doing what you do best. Visit us at www.endicia.com to learn more.