In the second quarter of 2026, eCommerce accounted for 17.1% of total U.S. retail sales, confirming a steady shift of consumer spending from physical stores to digital channels. This growth reflects expanding consumer engagement with multi-channel shopping experiences, propelled by mobile technology and evolving buyer preferences.
- eCommerce share grew from 16.3% to 17.1% of US retail sales in one year
- Consumers average 51 digital shopping days per month, up 5 days since 2024
- Mobile usage in stores for price checks and payment info rose notably
Market signal
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Q2 2026 data confirms that online retail sales are increasing at a faster rate than overall retail, with eCommerce growing to 17.1% of total retail sales, up from 16.3% a year ago. The seasonal rise in online sales to $340.2 billion highlights sustained consumer preference shifts towards digital shopping channels fueled by convenience and expanded mobile usage.
Complementary insights from the 2026 Global Digital Shopping Index show that American consumers now engage in digital shopping activities 51 days per month, up from 46 days in 2024. This reflects more frequent interaction with online stores, apps, and digital tools both remotely and in-store, underlining evolving habits of omnichannel shopping.
Operator impact
Retailers must adapt to increasing consumer reliance on mobile devices as part of the path-to-purchase, not only for remote transactions but for in-person decision support. The rise in mobile research, price comparison, and payment method checks while inside physical stores signals that shoppers expect seamless integration of digital and physical retail experiences.
Merchants face pressure to provide competitive pricing, quick access to product availability, and flexible payment acceptance that aligns with digitally assisted shopping patterns. Notably, there remains a significant gap between shopper demand for price matching (60%) and merchant provision (47%), which presents an opportunity to improve customer retention and conversion rates.
What to watch next
The continued penetration of AI-driven shopping assistants and personalized digital experiences will likely deepen the integration of online and offline retail behavior. Operators should monitor innovations that help consumers navigate choices efficiently and reliably, potentially influencing which retailers are considered before physical store visits or online checkout.
Additionally, payment technology evolution remains critical as shoppers increasingly verify accepted payment methods on mobile devices while shopping in stores. Operators who enable fluid and frictionless payment acceptance across channels are better positioned to capture the incremental sales driven by digitally empowered consumers.