E-commerce continues to strengthen its position within the US retail landscape, with online sales expanding considerably faster than overall retail during the second quarter of 2026.

According to figures released by the US Census Bureau on 18 August, seasonally adjusted retail e-commerce sales reached $340.2 billion during the quarter, representing an increase of 12.2% compared with the corresponding period of 2025. By comparison, total US retail sales increased 6.7%, highlighting the continuing shift towards digital purchasing.

E-commerce accounted for 17.1% of total US retail sales during the quarter. The Census Bureau estimated overall retail sales at approximately $1.99 trillion, while online sales also recorded a 3.8% increase from the first quarter of 2026.

The figures reinforce the importance of digital commerce for retailers and consumer brands as purchasing behaviour increasingly spans online marketplaces, brand websites, social media and physical stores.

Practical Ecommerce has also highlighted the growing influence of major online promotional events on the wider retail calendar. It noted that Amazon’s Prime Day has increasingly encouraged competing retailers and direct-to-consumer brands to introduce promotional campaigns around the same period, creating a broader seasonal shopping event.

Despite such promotional influences, the Census Bureau figures indicate a substantial underlying difference between e-commerce and overall retail growth. For businesses, the trend underscores the importance of strengthening digital customer acquisition, online experiences, creative strategies and sustainable e-commerce economics as digital channels capture a growing share of consumer spending.