Online retail (ecommerce) sales in April 2026 grew at a rate of more than 10% year over year for the first time since 2021, according to Digital Commerce 360 analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
U.S. ecommerce in April 2026 also grew at more than twice the rate of total sales that month. Total retail sales in April 2026 reached $137.56 billion. That was about a 4.9% year-over-year increase from $123.85 billion.
Additionally, total retail sales growth came despite higher fuel costs tied largely to the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, which began at the end of February. Ecommerce has also grown at more than twice the rate of total retail in both March and April. That could suggest consumers opting to limit their personal fuel costs, passing them off to retailers. On the business side, some retailers and delivery carriers have implemented fees related to increased fuel costs.
Total retail sales in April 2026 exceeded those of November 2025 and December by more than $2o billion. Those were the two months of 2025 with the highest total retail sales in the U.S. (about $734.72 billion each).
Furthermore, total retail sales in April 2026 exceeded those of April 2020 by more than $350 billion. That month in 2020 had the lowest sales of the year and, subsequently, the largest year-over-year decline.
April 2026 ecommerce sales
In April 2026, online retail sales grew to $137.56 billion. That was about 11.1% growth from $123.85 billion in April 2025 ecommerce sales.
Compared to March 2026, online retail sales in April grew just 1.1%. That compares with nearly 0.5% growth in total retail sales during the same time frame.
Ecommerce accounted for about 18.2% of total sales in April 2026. Each month of 2026 so far has recorded an ecommerce penetration rate of at least 18%. Prior to 2026, no month’s growth had reached that level since April 2020, according to Digital Commerce 360 analysis.
That was also a standout rate at the time, when each month of 2019 had seen ecommerce penetration rates of 11% and 12%. The first three months of 2020 had ecommerce penetration rate between 12% and 14.3%. After April 2020’s high, that penetration rate had mellowed to about 15% and 16%.
Online retail sales in each month of 2026 so far have exceeded those of November 2025, which briefly held the country’s single-month record.
Ecommerce sales in April 2026 were more than $80 billion greater than those during the same month of 2019. Online retail sales in April 2026 were also more than $60 billion greater than those during April 2020, the first full month in the U.S. after the government had announced restrictions tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ecommerce sales calculations
Digital Commerce 360 studies non-seasonally adjusted commerce department data and excludes spending in segments that don’t typically sell online. These segments include:
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Automobile dealers
- Gas stations
- Fuel dealers
U.S. ecommerce penetration reflects the share of dollars consumers could potentially spend online.
The Commerce Department defines ecommerce sales as the sales of goods and services where an order is placed by the buyer or price and terms of sales are negotiated over:
- Internet
- Extranet
- Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) network
- Electronic mail
- Other online system
Payment may or may not be made online. The Commerce Department publishes estimates that it adjusts for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes.
Percentage changes may not align exactly with dollar figures due to rounding. Click here to read the previous month’s update on U.S. online retail sales.
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