Manufacturing e-commerce accounted for two-thirds of value of all manufacturing shipments in 2018

Manufacturing e-commerce shipments in 2018 accounted for just over two-thirds of the total value of all manufacturing shipments, but retail e-commerce sales accounted for only about a tenth of retail sales, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

"According to the Census Bureau’s 2018 E-Commerce Statistics report, manufacturing e-commerce shipments made up 67.3% or nearly $4.0 trillion of the $6.0 trillion in total value of manufacturing shipments," the government agency noted. "By comparison, retail e-commerce sales were only 9.9% or $519.6 billion of the $5.3 trillion in total retail sales."

A growing proportion of the value of manufacturing shipments has been coming from e-commerce, with the figure rising significantly from the level of just 18.1% in 1999.

"In 1999, e-commerce accounted for $729.6 billion (18.1%) of the $4.0 trillion total value of manufacturing shipments. By 2018, this share had risen to 67.3%, growing even in 2002 and 2009 when the total value of manufacturing shipments and e-commerce shipments declined," according to the Census Bureau.

"Just like the retail trade sector, Manufacturing e-commerce includes online orders from customers. However, these orders include purchases from both traditional consumers and other domestic establishments of the same company that in turn manufacture, assemble or fabricate the product," according to the Census Bureau. "E-commerce can be conducted over the internet but also includes sales made using extranets, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) networks, email or other online systems and payment may or may not be made online."