The US Census Bureau puts e-commerce at $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, adjusted for seasonal variation. That was 17.1% of the $1,986.5 billion total retail sales for the quarter.
Compared with the second quarter of 2025, e-commerce rose 12.2% and total retail rose 6.7%. A year earlier the online share stood at 16.3%.
What a brand can take from this
A share of 17.1% also means most US retail spending still happens elsewhere. For a mid-sized brand, the useful question is which channels its buyers already use and who should serve them. A brand with no one managing its online channels often finds others filling the gap, at prices it did not choose.
These are early figures. Revised estimates are due with the third-quarter release on November 19, 2026.
Source: US Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026. Estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation, not for price changes.