Glossary
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online-purchase
Online shopping is the ordering of goods or services via the Internet or an application. Definition, customer journey, differences with the online store, and challenges for Shopify merchants.
Updated on
June 4, 2026
An online purchase is the ordering of a good or service placed via the Internet or an application, on a merchant's website, a marketplace, or a mobile platform. According to the OECD definition adopted by UNCTAD, e-commerce corresponds to the sale or purchase "by methods specially designed for receiving or placing orders": payment and delivery do not need to be online for the transaction to count as a digital purchase. For an e-retailer, every online purchase is the result of a journey: discovery, trust, cart, checkout, and confirmation.
Summary
Definition of online shopping
Online purchasing refers to the act by which a customer places an order remotely via a digital channel: website, mobile application, extranet, or integrated ordering interface (such as B2B EDI). The core criterion, according to the OECD (2009, updated 2025), is the method of ordering, not necessarily the payment or delivery method.
Examples that fall within this scope:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Order on a website with online card payment; Order on a site with cash on delivery; Purchase on a marketplace (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) via a web shopping cart; Booking or purchase of services (training, SaaS subscription).
The following are generally not counted as an online purchase in the strict statistical sense: orders by telephone alone, fax, or manually typed email without a dedicated ordering interface (according to OECD / UNCTAD guidelines).
Useful distinctions:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Transaction: the purchase or transaction; Channel: the place where the purchase occurs; Order: the merchant side after validation (number, status, fulfillment).
Why online shopping is central for merchants
Online purchasing now structures a major part of the retail trade. Sales are no longer limited to the physical store: consumers compare, read reviews, add to cart, and pay from mobile devices, sometimes in a matter of minutes.
For an e-commerce brand, each completed online purchase represents:
Its main effects are found on several levels: and proof that the marketing worked; (email, history, preferences) if the account or order is identified; : preparation, shipping, billing, customer service, potential return; : traffic source, campaign, device, average basket.
Conversely, a visitor who browses without buying has not yet made an online purchase: they may be in the research phase, comparing prices, or abandoning their cart (see cart abandonment). The merchant's job is to turn intention into a confirmed transaction.
How an online purchase works
On a Shopify DTC store, the most common journey looks like this:
The process can be summarized as follows: first: SEO, social media, advertising, email, or word-of-mouth; then: product page, reviews, size guide, comparison; next: variant choice, quantity, eventual promo code; then: contact details, shipping, or other method; finally: order email, tracking, logistics preparation.
In practice, Julie discovers a sportswear brand on Instagram, clicks on the bio link, adds a €59 legging to her cart from her iPhone, pays with Apple Pay, and receives a confirmation in less than two minutes. It is a complete online purchase, even if the physical delivery will take place two days later.
Purchases can also be hybrid: online search, in-store pickup (click and collect), or web order with deferred payment. The important thing for the merchant is to track each step in their analytics to understand where customers are buying, and where they are dropping off.
Types of online purchases and e-commerce models
Not all online purchases follow the same business model:
In Shopify, this is notably reflected by: (): the brand sells directly to the final consumer. This is the most common case for independent Shopify stores; : online ordering between professionals (wholesaler, replenishment, digitized quote); : the purchase goes through a third-party platform that connects buyers and sellers (); : brand that sells directly without traditional retail intermediaries; : download, license, subscription activated immediately after payment.
On Shopify, the merchant primarily manages B2C and D2C, with possible extensions towards B2B (Shopify Plus, pro catalogs) and multichannel sales (POS + web). Each type of purchase implies different expectations regarding delivery times, billing, and support.
Key points to consider for facilitating the purchase
Points of vigilance include, in particular: : product, delivery, taxes depending on the markets; : guest checkout, express payment (Shop Pay, Apple Pay), short forms; : customer reviews, return policy, delivery times, visible SSL; : size, compatibility, stock, international delivery. A chat or AI agent can remove the final obstacle before validation; : share of sessions that end with a confirmed online purchase (see ).
To monitor:
Points of vigilance include, in particular: Confusing traffic and sales: many visits without an optimized purchasing journey; Neglected mobile checkout even though the majority of journeys start on a smartphone; Lack of follow-up after even though there was real purchasing intent; Customer service that is difficult to reach at the precise moment the customer hesitates to click "Pay".
In brief
To remember: A digital order = order placed via a digital channel designed to receive orders (site, app, dedicated interface); The payment and delivery can be offline; it is the digital order that counts (OECD / UNCTAD); Distinct from digital marketing (channel) and digital billing (merchant registration); Typical journey: discovery → product sheet → cart → checkout → confirmation; Merchant objective: reduce friction and convert intent into measurable transaction.
Associated terms, FAQ, and useful resources
Associated terms
Online store: the website where the purchase takes place.
Checkout: the validation and payment step.
Order: the record of the purchase on the merchant side.
Online payment: settling the purchase digitally.
FAQ
Does an online purchase require an online payment?
No. According to the OECD definition adopted by UNCTAD, only the order must be placed through a suitable channel. Paying on delivery or in-store after a web order is still considered an online purchase.
What is the difference between online purchasing and e-commerce?
E-commerce is the domain or model of distance selling via digital channels. An online purchase is the concrete transactional act carried out by a customer within this framework.
How do I know if my store is converting well?
Track the conversion rate (sessions with a confirmed purchase ÷ total sessions) and analyze the funnel: cart addition, checkout start, finalized purchase. Compare mobile and desktop separately.
Does a purchase on a marketplace count as an online purchase?
Yes, if the order is placed via the marketplace's web interface or app. The seller may not own the store, but the customer is indeed buying online.
Go further
Sources: UNCTAD (OECD definition of e-commerce), OECD / UNCTAD, e-commerce guidelines 2025.
Enzo
June 4, 2026
