Global e-commerce Logistics 2023

Nia Hudson joined Ti as a research analyst in 2021. She studied History as an undergraduate, before moving on to complete a master’s in public policy at Bristol University, where she developed a keen interest in globalisation and supply chains. During her time at Bristol, she also worked as a teaching assistant in a primary school. Nia is passionate about research and contributes to Logistics Reports and Ti’s Global Supply Chain intelligence portal.

Paul Chapman has extensive experience across a wide range of parcels, delivery and logistics markets. He has authored many reports covering Global, European and UK parcels and logistics markets as well as working on consulting assignments for clients and investors in the sector. His previous experience includes being Research Director at Apex Insight, Logistics Research Manager at Datamonitor and co-founder of Analytiqa. He has a BA in Modern Languages with Business Studies from Swansea University.

The 2022 global e-commerce logistics market shrank by 5% in 2022 but is expected to moderate and grow by 7.9% in 2023, according to market research consultancy Ti Insight. 

• North America surpasses Asia Pacific as largest e-commerce logistics market
• More than 1.8m pudo locations globally of which 1.2m are parcel shops
• Funding for e-commerce logistics start-ups slows in 2022 amidst economic downturn

In its latest report  ̶  Global E-commerce Logistics 2023  ̶  Ti’s data reveals that the e-commerce logistics market shrank in 2022 due to slowing demand, as well as the effects of the war in Ukraine, inflation, disrupted global supply chains and depressed consumer spending.

However, this should not detract from the fact e-commerce remains firmly entrenched in buying behaviours, and the market remains larger than pre-pandemic. The report from Ti – the leading provider of market research to the global logistics industry – shows that the market is expected to grow by 7.9% in 2023 as e-commerce continues on its long-term growth trajectory.

Paul Chapman, Ti’s Senior Editor, said “The e-commerce logistics market experienced a significant spike in growth during Covid lockdown. These figures should therefore be viewed as a rebalancing of demand, as opposed to anything negative. Indeed, the e-commerce logistics market is ahead of where it was in 2019 by some measure. eCommerce sales, the main driver of demand, remains higher than pre-covid levels, as pandemic buying behaviours continue to influence consumer spending choices and eCommerce volumes subsequently grow from a higher base than pre-pandemic, despite a slowing global market and conflict in Europe.”

The Global E-commerce Logistics Report -  written by industry researchers, analysts and associates  ̶  is one of several reports published each year by the Ti team, utilising data from its GSCI knowledge portal, a data powerhouse with over 1m pieces of data and analysis.

The report takes an in-depth look at the core trends influencing the market, such as e-commerce retail sales, M&A and consolidation, PUDO network growth and the growth of e-commerce logistics start-ups.

Report highlights:

• Total e-commerce logistics market shrunk by 5% in 2022
• Growth in the global e-commerce logistics market is expected to moderate and grow by 7.9% in 2023 according to Ti’s latest data. Although y-o-y growth is expected to exhibit a slower pace than the extraordinary highs of 2020 and 2021 (2020: 28%, 2021: 19.9%) in the face of a softer macroeconomic outlook, the market is expected to recover its 2022 losses, reaching a value of €451,239.3m.
• North America’s e-commerce logistics market has surpassed Asia Pacific, and is now the largest, with a value of €162,458.8m.
• Parcel shops and lockers have grown significantly in recent years. It is estimated that there are more than 1.8m pudo locations globally of which 1.2m are parcel shops. Pudo networks continue to be expanded and new networks are being rolled out in most countries. A high percentage of the global population are now within a short distance of one or more pudo locations.
• Growth and consolidation has run rampant in the eFulfilment market since the pandemic's beginning as traditional 3PL providers have sought to acquire e-commerce logistics capabilities to provide either direct-to-consumer fulfilment or omnichannel solutions for clients.
• Funding for select e-commerce logistics start-ups slowed in 2022 amid a pronounced economic downturn and several macroeconomic headwinds.
• Automation is rapidly becoming a key success factor in e-commerce logistics by enabling increasingly quick fulfilment and distribution.