A few years ago, when the coronavirus began to spread across the United States, online sales of beverage alcohol skyrocketed. For example, in his Dec. 1, 2020, Forbes article titled “Online Alcohol Sales Surge Amid Coronavirus Pandemic,” Chris Furnari noted that, as the virus began spreading across the United States earlier in 2020, “total eCommerce penetration experienced 10 years of growth in just three months’ time (March-May).”

Fast forward to 2025, after years of pandemic-driven spikes and subsequent corrections, market research firm IWSR notes in its Feb. 5 Insight that the global online alcohol market is entering a new era of sustainable growth.

According to the Insight titled “IWSR Projects Alcohol Ecommerce Channel to surpass $36 Billion by 2028,” the forecast reflects a 20% increase in value over the next five years.

“After significant volatility over the past five years, global channel dynamics appear to be stabilizing,” stated Guy Wolfe, head of eCommerce insights at IWSR, in the insight. “While alcohol eCommerce has been growing in importance, it is now clear that its influence extends far beyond online transactions.”

The market research firm also noted that findings from IWSR’s recently released “Ecommerce Strategic Study,” which analyzes the online alcohol channel across 18 key markets across the globe, underscored the evolving role of digital platforms in shaping consumer behavior.

“Digital platforms now play a pivotal role in driving offline sales, as more consumers rely on online research to guide their in-store purchases,” the insight states. “For brand owners, maintaining a strong digital presence is crucial. Prioritizing the development of robust online strategies and continually refining digital content will be critical to staying competitive and capturing consumer engagement across channels.”

The following are other key findings from IWSR’s Ecommerce Strategic Study:

• Resilient growth of $6 billion: The online alcohol market across 18 key markets is forecasted to grow by 20% in value from 2023 to 2028, adding $6 billion in incremental growth. A high proportion of future growth is expected to come from the China marketplaces and U.S. omnichannel, according to IWSR. Smaller channels also will contribute to value, including those in Australia, Japan and Mexico, it notes.

• Social commerce drives growth in China: China’s online marketplaces are expected to remain dominant, contributing $1.9 billion in value growth by 2028. Among these, social commerce platforms like Douyin (TikTok) are reshaping consumer interactions by combining shopping with entertainment and allowing consumers to purchase directly from their favorite online personalities and influencers, IWSR states. Although regulations on the sale of alcohol have resulted in social media primarily serving as a digital marketing tool, in China they have become a growing sales channel, it notes.

• American whiskey a key category for the United States: The U.S. market continues to be key for the global online alcohol channel, with the proportion of alcohol buyers shopping online rising by 4 percentage points over the prior year according to the latest IWSR consumer survey, conducted in Q3 of 2024. A high number of current non-users (especially millennials) indicate a likelihood of adopting online purchasing in future as well. Frequency of online shopping also has surged, with weekly purchases increasing by 13 percentage points, according to IWSR. American whiskey is a standout category, with prestige products, such as high-end bourbon, rye and American single malts, driving a significant share of forecast growth, it says.

• Consumer behavior normalizes: Online shoppers are settling into more consistent patterns. Value-seeking remains a priority due to economic pressures, but discovery and experimentation continue to drive online purchases. Across the key markets, 24% of shoppers cited “finding new brands” as a key reason to shop online, IWSR notes.

• An important research tool: eCommerce has become a critical tool for research, with 63% of online alcohol buyers conducting extensive research before making a purchase, according to IWSR. Digital sources like brand websites, product reviews, and even delivery apps are becoming integral to purchasing decisions, it says. Notably, price comparison and product discovery rank as the top research drivers, highlighting the growing role of digital ecosystems in influencing consumer choices across all channels, it notes.

Although U.S. shipping laws vary by state, with some states prohibiting the direct shipment of beverage alcohol to consumers, it appears that eCommerce will play a significant role in beverage alcohol sales going forward.