Quarterly online retail sales
$340.2BU.S. retail e-commerce sales reached $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, adjusted for seasonal variation.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗EllasGoods Reference
U.S. online shopping statistics for 2026.
Current, citable retail figures for writers, shoppers, and independent apparel brands.At a glance
Online retail keeps taking more of the conversation.
These figures describe the broader U.S. online retail market, not apparel alone. They offer useful context for independent apparel and gift brands selling to shoppers online.
Every figure below comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s quarterly retail e-commerce release published August 18, 2026.
Six citable figures
U.S. online retail, second quarter 2026
Of retail sales happened online
17.1%E-commerce represented 17.1% of total U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, on an adjusted basis.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗Year-over-year online sales growth
+12.2%Adjusted e-commerce sales were 12.2% higher than in the second quarter of 2025.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗Quarter-over-quarter online sales growth
+3.8%Adjusted e-commerce sales increased 3.8% from the first quarter of 2026 to the second quarter.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗Total retail sales growth
+6.7%Total adjusted U.S. retail sales rose 6.7% from the second quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2026.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗Unadjusted online retail sales
$329.5BBefore seasonal adjustment, U.S. retail e-commerce sales totaled $329.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026 ↗Methodology and sources
How to use these numbers.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales report measures retail e-commerce sales in the United States. Its second-quarter 2026 release reports both seasonally adjusted and unadjusted estimates. The figures on this page use the adjusted estimate unless a card says otherwise.
Last updated: August 27, 2026. This page will be reviewed when the Census Bureau publishes a new quarterly release.
Read the complete U.S. Census Bureau release ↗Suggested citation
EllasGoods, “U.S. Online Shopping Statistics for 2026,” updated August 27, 2026, https://ellasgoods.com/online-shopping-statistics.
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