Adjusted U.S. e-commerce sales reached $326.7B in Q1 2026, rising 9.8% year-over-year while total retail sales grew just 3.9%, with online sales now representing 16.9% of adjusted retail sales (up from 15.9% a year earlier), according to the Census Bureau's quarterly retail e-commerce report. The Q1 figures marked the third consecutive quarter where e-commerce outperformed total retail on both quarterly and annual growth measures, with sequential e-commerce growth at 2.7% versus 1.5% for overall retail. PYMNTS Intelligence research suggests the shift reflects financially stressed consumers turning to online channels for greater budget control, with high-stress shoppers spending an average of $169 per online transaction compared to $96 for low-stress consumers, while digital wallet adoption is also increasing among young shoppers and households managing tight budgets.
