July got a lift in online retail sales thanks to summer promotions from Amazon, Walmart, Target and other leading ecommerce retailers across the industry, according to the National Retail Federation.

NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay also credited consumers “continuing to pull purchases forward ahead of tariffs.”

“Month-over-month gains were sizeable against a weaker-than-normal June,” Shay said. We may be seeing growing inflationary impacts from tariffs since recent data shows price increases in commodity goods, particularly non-durables. Even with weaker job growth than many expected, consumers still have the ability to spend on household priorities as wages are growing above the rate of inflation.”

Additionally, early data from the U.S. Department of Commerce indicates July 2025 saw the second-highest monthly total for U.S. ecommerce sales to date, behind only December 2024. The Commerce Department reviews its data and makes adjustments monthly.

Overall, U.S. retail sales in the U.S. grew slightly in July. They reached $726.28 billion, according to an estimate from the Commerce Department. That’s 3.9% growth year over year from July 2024, when total U.S. retail sales reached $698.91 billion.

It’s also nearly flat growth (0.5%) compared to June 2025, when total retail sales reached $722.57 billion.

Core retail sales — those excluding motor vehicle and gasoline, which consumers typically do not make online — also grew in July. Compared to June 2025, core retail sales in July were nearly flat (0.2% growth). That’s up to $535.95 billion in July compared to $534.71 billion in June,

But compared to July 2024, when they reached $513.25 billion, sales grew 4.4% in July 2025.

Online retail sales in July

Online retail sales in July grew year over year as well as compared to June 2025, according to the Commerce Department.

In the U.S., July 2025 online retail sales reached $127.05 billion. That’s up both compared to June 2025 (0.8% growth from $126.07 billion) and July 2024 (8.0% growth from $117.63 billion).

U.S. ecommerce sales in July accounted for 17.49% of total retail sales in the month, based on Digital Commerce 360 analysis of Commerce Department data. That compares to 16.80% ecommerce penetration of total retail sales in the same month last year.

But ecommerce in July accounted for 23.70% of core retail sales. That compares to 22.92% the prior year.

In both cases, ecommerce sales grew year over year and as a percentage of total sales. However, July ecommerce sales grew compared to June in 2025, whereas they decreased month over month in 2024.

Amazon held its longest summer Prime Day event yet in July 2025, which ran four days (July 8 to 11). Historically, it usually runs for two days.

Digital Commerce 360 previously reported that throughout the duration of the 2025 Prime Day event, U.S. consumers spent $24.1 billion online — and that’s excluding sales on Amazon. That’s the equivalent of combining Black Friday and Cyber Monday online sales in 2024 ($10.8 billion and $13.3 billion, respectively).

In addition to Fourth of July promotions and retailers competing with Amazon, Walmart and Target’s annual summer discounts, online grocery sales grew year over year in the month.

July online grocery sales reached $10.0 billion, Digital Commerce 360 previously reported. That’s $2.1 billion more than in July 2024. To date, the only other months to reach that milestone were October 2024, January 2025 and February 2025.

NRF monthly sales growth breakdown by category

Sales decreased month over month in almost all retail categories

• Online and other digital product sales grew 1.35% month over month.
• Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores (up 2.36%)
• General merchandise stores (up 2.04%)
• Clothing and accessories stores (up 1.75%)
• Grocery and beverage stores (up 1.43%)
• Health and personal care stores (up 1.69%)
• Furniture and home furnishings stores (up 0.98%)
• Building and garden supply stores (up 1.32%)
• Electronics and appliance stores (down 0.51%)

Sales grew year over year in almost all categories

• Online and other digital product sales increased 25.01% year over year.
• Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores (up 9.99%)
• General merchandise stores (up 6.94%)
• Clothing and accessories stores (up 6.73%)
• Grocery and beverage stores (up 5.42%)
• Health and personal care stores (up 4.44%)
• Electronics and appliance stores (up 2.11%)
• Furniture and home furnishings stores (up 1.53%)
• Building and garden supply stores (down 4.11%)

Click here to read last month’s update on U.S. online retail sales.

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