The Italian e-commerce growth: 6% in 2024

In 2024, Italian e-commerce hit a total of €85.4 billion, marking a 6% increase compared to the previous year. These insights come from the digital consulting firm Casaleggio Associati’s 19th annual e-commerce report. Their earlier report had projected total online sales for 2023 at approximately €80.55 billion.

More than 21.8 billion euros spent online in travel

The most recent study estimates that the Travel and Tourism industry brought in more than 21.8 billion euros in online revenue last year. It was followed by marketplaces, which generated 14.8 billion euros. Leisure came in third place, with a revenue of 13.4 billion euros. Fashion, Gambling and Food followed.

Increasing use of AI

According to the researchers, online sellers in Italy are increasingly using AI. They have implemented these tools for translations, automated product content creation, data analysis and forecasting, and personalization.

“2024 was the year companies truly began to understand how to use Artificial Intelligence within their internal processes, discovering a real revolution”, explained Davide Casaleggio, president of Casaleggio Associati. “The challenge for 2025 will be to create new value through these technologies, moving beyond operational efficiency.”

Distribution of turnovers

The pressure of the need for marginality and shrinking demand have affected growth by seeing some sectors shrink in terms of turnover or even just in the number of pieces sold.

On average, an Italian Ecommerce site last year grew (+7 percent) below operators’ early-year expectations in terms of revenue. Experiencing the biggest setback are the sectors that grew the most in the previous year such as Marketplace (+1% vs +55% in 2023) followed by Travel and Tourism (0% vs +42% in 2023), and Pets (+7% vs +37%). Experiencing the biggest setback is the Publishing sector (-14%). However, there are sectors that continue to drive growth such as Betting and Casinos (+31%), Cars and Motorcycles (+25%), Insurance (+17%), and Fashion (+16%).

Among the main digital strategy goals set by the surveyed companies for 2025 appear: for 64 percent to increase profit/turnover, in line with last year (65 percent), for 41 percent to acquire new customers, for 44 percent to build customer loyalty (up from 40 percent last year), for 45 percent to increase awareness (up sharply from last year where it was 34 percent), for 23 percent to increase margins, for 23 percent to gain market share over competitors, for 12 percent to grow the average order while 2 percent have other goals.

Sector analysis

The shrinking sectors

Some sectors suffered sharp declines. Online publishing lost 14 percent from 2023, marking the steepest decline. Children’s and toys also saw a negative trend, while the tourism sector maintained stable sales only thanks to inflation, despite a slowdown in demand. Marketplaces, key players in 2023, saw almost no growth (+1 percent).

The growing sectors

The most dynamic segments include online betting and casinos (+31%), cars and motorcycles (+25%) and insurance (+17%). Fashion grew by 16%, supported by fast fashion logic and omnichannel strategies. In general, the sectors that have shown vitality are those not yet saturated or characterized by relevant digital innovations.

E-commerce singles up, but below expectations

Polarization of the market

While there is an average growth of 7 percent for individual ecommerce, many operators did not meet the expected targets. The gap between companies that innovate and those that remain anchored to rigid models has widened. Thus, adaptability and the adoption of digital tools remain crucial to success.

What to expect by 2025

The year 2025 is shaping up to be a year of strategic transition, where e-commerce players will have to deeply review their offerings. The use of artificial intelligence, the adoption of predictive models, the integration of omnichannelality and the strengthening of customer care will be crucial. At the same time, it will be crucial to train professionals capable of supporting this change.

The e-commerce market in Italy is entering a maturing phase, where being online is no longer enough: a clear, competitive and well-orchestrated proposition is needed. Companies that know how to value data, adapt their strategies and put the customer at the center will have a decisive competitive advantage in the coming years.