$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 current U.S. retail statistics for writers, researchers, and anyone tracking how shoppers are buying now.
LAST UPDATED SEPTEMBER 15, 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. Each statistic links to the same primary source, so you can check the original 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.
U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, Second Quarter 2026, released August 18, 2026
Cite this page
Shopping Therapy. "U.S. Online Shopping Statistics: Q2 2026 Retail Snapshot." Updated September 15, 2026. https://shoppingtherapy.store/online-shopping-statistics