European ecommerce growth outpaces the U.S.

Online shopping has been a staple in the United States for years, but new data is showing that Europe may actually be outpacing the U.S. when it comes to ecommerce growth.

Statistics from Kelkoo, an online shopping comparison site, reveal that online spending in Europe is expected to grow 18 percent to more than 200 billion euros this year, well ahead of the near-11 percent growth predicted for the United States.

Reuters cites the example of Melanie Holtkotter, a young German woman who prefers to shop from the comfort of her home in Lippstat, Germany, than make the trek to the high street.

"It's simple to browse and compare items or even different brands," Holtkotter, a former insurance staffer, told the source. "I can take time making choices, the goods will be delivered to my house and I can still return them."

However, ecommerce growth in any one sector is good news for the whole industry, as online shopping has taken consumerism global. Even if Holtkotter and others like her are shopping from their homes in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Scotland or anywhere else, they can still order goods from the U.S., the U.K., Australia and other ecommerce hubs around the world.