The two pie charts compare the percentage of online shopping sales in Canada for four retail sectors in 2005 and 2010.
Overall, there was a shift in consumer preferences from electronics and appliances to food, beverages, and video games over the five-year period. While electronics and appliances had the largest share in 2005, food and beverages became the dominant sector in 2010. Home furnishings, which was the second most purchased category in 2005, experienced a significant decline in sales by 2010.
In 2005, electronics and appliances accounted for the largest portion of online sales at 35%, followed by home furnishings at 25%. Food and beverages made up 22%, and video games had the smallest share at 18%. However, by 2010, the share of food and beverages increased sharply to 32%, overtaking electronics and appliances, which dropped to 30%. Sales of video games also saw a considerable rise, growing to 23%. In contrast, home furnishings declined substantially, falling to 15%, making it the category with the lowest sales in 2010.