Online Sales Explosion in 2025: How Sellers Can Prepare Now

With Brick-and-Mortar Stores Closing, Here’s How Smart Retailers Are Maximizing Their E-Commerce Success

The retail industry is undergoing a major transformation. As we move into 2025, several economic and industry factors are reshaping consumer shopping habits.

According to Business Insider, U.S. retailers announced over 7,100 store closures by November 2024—a 69% increase compared to 2023.

This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for online sellers. Here’s why e-commerce businesses must prepare and how they can capitalize on this trend.

At SellWellStrategies, we help online sellers navigate market changes, maximize profits, and build sustainable growth strategies.

📉 Major Retailers Are Closing Stores

Even large, well-known brands are struggling to maintain their physical locations. Recent reports show that many big retailers are reducing their brick-and-mortar footprint:

✅ Family Dollar – Closing at least 600 stores
✅ CVS Health – Consolidating locations nationwide
✅ Big Lots – Closing 960 stores
✅ Rite Aid – Shutting down 200 locations
✅ Walmart – Closing 11 stores in 2024
✅ Target – Closing 9 stores in 2024
✅ Gap – Closing 350 stores by the end of 2024
✅ Express – Phasing out 100 stores

With these household names reducing their physical presence, consumers are looking for alternative shopping options—a gap that online businesses can successfully fill.

🔎 What’s Driving the Shift to Online Shopping?

Several key factors are pushing consumers away from traditional stores and towards e-commerce:

1️⃣ Economic Pressures

📌 Inflation and rising costs have made brick-and-mortar operations more expensive.
📌 Many retailers are shifting investments to e-commerce instead of maintaining physical stores.

2️⃣ Changing Consumer Behavior

📌 The pandemic accelerated the adoption of online shopping.
📌 Remote work means more consumers are shopping from home.

3️⃣ Operational Challenges

📌 Retailers are facing higher labor costs, supply chain issues, and financial debt.
📌 Many brands can no longer afford to keep underperforming stores open.

🚀 As a result, more people are choosing to shop online, creating a golden opportunity for e-commerce businesses.

At SellWellStrategies, we specialize in helping online sellers take advantage of market shifts by providing data-driven e-commerce strategies.

📉 The Impact of Store Closures on Online Sales

Many assume that closing a store helps retailers focus on online sales, but research shows the opposite:

👉 Forbes reports that after a store closure, local online sales drop by 12% in that area.

📉 Industry-Specific Impacts:
🔹 Fashion – 22% decline in local online sales
🔹 Home goods – 32% drop
🔹 Department stores – 26% reduction

Why? Because physical stores drive online sales by:
✔ Building brand awareness
✔ Strengthening customer trust
✔ Offering in-person experiences

💡 Even e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart invest in physical stores to maintain a strong retail presence.

At SellWellStrategies, we help sellers develop brand loyalty and visibility so they can capture the growing online market.

🎯 How Online Sellers Can Take Advantage

Despite the challenges, store closures open new opportunities for online sellers. Here’s how e-commerce businesses can thrive in this evolving market.

1️⃣ Expand Your Customer Base

📌 With fewer stores, more consumers will turn to online shopping.
📌 This means increased traffic and higher demand for e-commerce products.

2️⃣ Target Growing Product Categories

📌 Retail closures = more demand for online alternatives.
📌 Top high-demand categories include:

✔ Groceries & household essentials (due to pharmacy & discount store closures)
✔ Health & wellness products (filling gaps left by CVS & Rite Aid)
✔ Apparel & lifestyle items (after closures from Express & Gap)

3️⃣ Serve “Retail Deserts”

📌 Over 7,000 pharmacies have shut down since 2019, creating “pharmacy deserts.”
📌 Online sellers can fill this gap with subscription-based health & wellness products.

🚀 E-commerce brands that move fast can win over these underserved markets.

At SellWellStrategies, we help brands identify emerging market trends so they can stay ahead of competitors.

🛍️ How to Prepare for Increased Online Traffic

✅ 1. Diversify Your Product Offerings

🔹 Analyze market trends to identify emerging consumer demands.
🔹 Add products previously sold in closed stores to your catalog.
🔹 Test niche categories to uncover new revenue opportunities.

✅ 2. Invest in Marketing & Social Commerce

🔹 Strengthen your social media presence to attract new customers.
🔹 Use targeted email campaigns to increase conversions.
🔹 Partner with influencers to boost brand awareness.
🔹 Optimize for SEO & paid ads to improve visibility.

✅ 3. Leverage AI & E-Commerce Technology

🔹 Use AI-powered listing optimization tools to improve conversions.
🔹 Sell on multiple platforms (Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop) for maximum reach.
🔹 Utilize analytics tools to refine pricing, marketing, and product strategies.

💡 Smart e-commerce sellers are adapting NOW to capture the wave of new online shoppers!

At SellWellStrategies, we guide sellers through every step of scaling their e-commerce business.

🔮 Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond

The retail industry is evolving fast.

📉 Just last month, The Container Store filed for bankruptcy.
📉 45 retailers have filed for bankruptcy in 2024 (compared to 25 in 2023).
📈 This signals major growth for e-commerce businesses ready to step in and take over.

📌 Final Takeaway:

🚀 Online sellers who prepare for increased traffic in 2025 will gain a competitive advantage.

💡 Need Help Scaling Your Online Business?

At SellWellStrategies, we provide tailored growth strategies to help online sellers thrive.

🔗 Visit SellWellStrategies to learn how we can help you maximize e-commerce success!