$340.2B
U.S. retail e-commerce sales
Seasonally adjusted sales in the second quarter of 2026, before price changes.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 2026U.S. RETAIL REFERENCE
Online shopping,
by the numbers.
Six U.S. retail statistics from the latest quarterly Census release, for writers, researchers, and anyone tracking how shoppers are buying now.
CHECKED OCTOBER 20, 2026Q2 2026 SNAPSHOT
A clear look at the online retail market.
These figures use the U.S. Census Bureau's seasonally adjusted second-quarter retail report. The Bureau marked the estimates for revision on September 28, and says revised figures will appear with its next quarterly release on November 19. Each statistic links to the primary source so you can check the release before quoting it.
$1,986.5B
Total U.S. retail sales
Seasonally adjusted retail sales in the second quarter of 2026.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 202617.1%
Retail sales made online
The seasonally adjusted share of total retail sales represented by e-commerce in Q2 2026.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 20263.8%
Quarter-over-quarter e-commerce growth
The increase in seasonally adjusted e-commerce sales from Q1 to Q2 2026.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 202612.2%
Year-over-year e-commerce growth
The increase in seasonally adjusted e-commerce sales from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 20266.7%
Year-over-year retail growth
The increase in seasonally adjusted total retail sales from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AUGUST 18, 2026WHAT THESE NUMBERS MEAN
Online retail is a meaningful piece of every shopper's journey.
The Census Bureau estimated $340.2 billion in seasonally adjusted U.S. retail e-commerce sales for Q2 2026. That was 17.1% of total retail sales for the quarter.
The report measures all retail e-commerce, not one product category. It is a useful benchmark for understanding the broader retail environment around fashion, gifts, and the everyday choices shoppers make online.
EXPLORE SHOPPING THERAPY COLLECTIONS →SOURCES AND METHOD
Built to be checked.
This page reports six figures from one primary government release to keep the definitions consistent. Dollar amounts and growth rates are seasonally adjusted and are not adjusted for price changes. On September 28, 2026, the Census Bureau noted that this release no longer contains its most up-to-date estimates. Revised figures are scheduled to appear in the third-quarter release on November 19, 2026.
Cite this page
Shopping Therapy. "U.S. Online Shopping Statistics: Q2 2026 Retail Snapshot." Checked October 20, 2026. https://shoppingtherapy.store/online-shopping-statistics