The Census Bureau of The Department of Commerce has reported the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, was $291.6 billion, an increase of 1.3 percent (±0.7) from the first quarter of 2024.

Total retail sales for the second quarter of 2024 were estimated at $1,826.9 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent (±0.2) from the first quarter of 2024.

The second quarter of 2024 e-commerce estimate increased by 6.7 percent (±1.2) from the second quarter of 2023, while total retail sales increased by 2.1 percent (±0.4) in the same period. E-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2024 accounted for 16.0 percent of total sales.

On an unadjusted basis, the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2024 totaled $282.3 billion, an increase of 5.3 percent (±0.7) from the first quarter of 2023. The second quarter of 2024 e-commerce estimate increased 6.6 percent (±1.2) from the second quarter of 2023, while total retail sales increased 1.9 percent (±0.4) in the same period.

Unadjusted e-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2024 accounted for 5.2 percent of total sales, highlighting the growing influence of e-commerce in the retail sector.

Retail e-commerce sales are estimated from the same sample used for the Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) to estimate preliminary and final U.S. retail sales. Advance U.S. retail sales are estimated from a subsample of the MRTS sample that is not adequate to measure changes in retail e-commerce sales.

Methodology
A stratified simple random sampling method is used to select approximately 10,800 retailers, excluding food services, whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the overall two million-plus retail firms. The MRTS sample is probability-based and represents all employer firms engaged in retail activities as defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Coverage includes all retailers, whether or not they are engaged in e-commerce. Online travel services, financial brokers, dealers, and ticket sales agencies are not classified as retail and are not included in either the total retail or retail e-commerce sales estimates. Non-employers are represented in the estimates by benchmarking prior annual survey estimates, which include non-employer sales based on administrative records. E-commerce sales are included in the total monthly sales estimates.

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