Ordering clothes from your phone or arranging a grocery delivery has become an ordinary part of shopping. Yet online purchases still account for a minority of total retail spending, even in markets where ecommerce feels firmly established.

That leaves plenty of room for online retail to grow. It also helps explain why physical stores remain important, and why the balance between online and in-person shopping looks different from one product category to another.

Here's how much of the retail market has moved online, starting with the latest US figures and then looking at the wider picture.

What percentage of US retail sales are online?

Ecommerce accounted for 17.1% of US retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, according to the US Census Bureau's seasonally adjusted figures. That's roughly one in every six retail dollars.

Online retail sales reached $340.2 billion during the quarter, within a total retail market of about $1.99 trillion. Ecommerce sales grew 12.2% compared with the same quarter a year earlier, while total retail sales grew 6.7%.

Online shopping is therefore gaining share within a retail market that's also growing. It isn't simply replacing a fixed amount of spending at physical stores.

US retail measureQ2 2026
Ecommerce share of retail sales17.1%
Ecommerce sales$340.2 billion
Total retail sales$1.99 trillion
Ecommerce sales growth, year over year12.2%
Total retail sales growth, year over year6.7%

How has ecommerce's share changed?

The recent trend is a steady increase in the proportion of spending happening online. The Census series published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows that share rising from 16.3% in Q2 2025 to 17.1% a year later.

Ecommerce share of US retail sales, by quarter

16.0%16.5%17.0%17.5%Q2 2025Q3 2025Q4 2025Q1 2026Q2 202617.1%
Show the data
Q2 202516.3%
Q3 202516.4%
Q4 202516.7%
Q1 202617.0%
Q2 202617.1%
Source: US Census Bureau via FRED

A change of less than one percentage point sounds small. Across a retail market worth trillions of dollars a year, though, it represents a substantial shift in how people buy.

For an individual brand, that shift can come from several kinds of customer behavior. Someone might place their first online order, move a regular purchase from a store to a delivery service, or start reordering a product directly from the brand after discovering it elsewhere.

Those are different opportunities. Attracting someone who's never bought from you requires a different experience from helping an existing customer replenish something they already know they like.

What percentage of global retail sales are online?

Globally, ecommerce accounts for roughly one-fifth of retail spending. EMARKETER's estimate for 2025 put online retail sales at $6.419 trillion, or 20.5% of the total market, up from 19.9% in 2024.

The global average brings together markets with very different shopping habits. Access to delivery, digital payments, established marketplaces and physical stores all affects how convenient it is to buy online.

Great Britain offers one example of a market where online shopping has a larger presence. The Office for National Statistics reported that 28.3% of retail sales were made online in July 2026.

For brands expanding internationally, local shopping habits are more useful than a global average alone. Customers may expect particular payment options, delivery arrangements or collection services before they're comfortable placing an order.

Why does ecommerce's share vary by product category?

Some products are easier to evaluate and buy remotely than others. You can compare the specifications of a pair of headphones from your sofa. Choosing fresh produce, matching a paint color or finding a comfortable mattress can involve a different decision.

ECDB estimates that online sales represented 40–45% of US electronics spending in 2025, compared with 25–30% of fashion spending.

The practical obstacles also vary. Fashion shoppers need confidence in sizing and fit. Furniture buyers need accurate dimensions and a clear understanding of delivery. For replenishable products, convenience often comes from finding the same item and completing the next order quickly.

This is why clear, useful product pages matter. The information that helps someone buy online should answer the questions they'd otherwise ask in a store.

What does the growth of online retail mean for brands?

A growing online market creates opportunities throughout the customer journey. Discovery, buying and repeat purchases don't have to happen through the same channel, so the experience needs to make sense as customers move between them.

Physical stores and ecommerce can support each other

A customer might discover a product in person and reorder it online. Another might research online before visiting a store to see the product. Collection services can connect the two experiences within a single purchase.

Brands that operate across channels can make those transitions easier with consistent product information, clear availability and reliable service. Customers shouldn't have to work out why the offer or product details change depending on where they shop.

Mobile shopping deserves close attention

For many customers, shopping online means shopping on a phone. During the 2025 US holiday season, smartphones generated 56.4% of online spending tracked by Adobe.

That makes the small details of the mobile experience commercially meaningful: readable product information, easy variant selection and a checkout that works comfortably on a small screen. Our guide to mobile ecommerce best practices covers those improvements in more detail.

Repeat purchases are part of the opportunity

Market growth doesn't guarantee that your store will grow with it. Customers still need a reason to choose your brand, and a good reason to return after the first order.

For products bought regularly, an easy reorder can be especially valuable. For less frequent purchases, helpful service, product education and relevant recommendations can keep the relationship going between orders.

Final thoughts

Ecommerce is taking a larger share of retail spending, but the pace and shape of that change depend on what people buy and where they live. The US figures show continued growth alongside a substantial role for physical retail.

For your brand, the opportunity is to understand how your customers want to shop and make that experience work well. Whether they're discovering a product, comparing their options or returning for another order, convenience and confidence give them a reason to buy from you.