{"id":4639,"date":"2026-08-05T15:45:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T15:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.synctify.net\/?p=4639"},"modified":"2026-08-05T15:45:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T15:45:57","slug":"74-of-us-ecommerce-flows-through-18-retailers-choosing-the-right-channels-is-getting-harder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.synctify.net\/zh\/2026\/08\/05\/74-of-us-ecommerce-flows-through-18-retailers-choosing-the-right-channels-is-getting-harder\/","title":{"rendered":"74% of US Ecommerce Flows Through 18 Retailers. Choosing the Right Channels Is Getting Harder."},"content":{"rendered":"

US ecommerce is becoming more concentrated\u2014but that does not mean channel strategy is becoming simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to EMARKETER\u2019s July 2026 forecast, the 18 largest ecommerce retailers will generate 74.1% of US retail ecommerce sales this year. Amazon alone will account for 39.7%. (EMARKETER<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The obvious conclusion is that suppliers should focus on the biggest platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more useful conclusion is that suppliers need to become much more selective about which<\/strong> large platforms they pursue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost 60% of US ecommerce still takes place outside Amazon. But that demand is not spread evenly across hundreds of interchangeable channels. It is increasingly concentrated among a relatively small group of retailers\u2014including Walmart, category specialists, membership retailers, home improvement chains, and retailer-owned marketplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For suppliers, the question is no longer simply whether to pursue a multichannel retail strategy. It is how to identify the channels that create genuinely incremental and profitable demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 18 largest retailers account for 74.1% of US ecommerce sales\u2014but they do not share one operating model.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A Concentrated Market Still Has Multiple Operating Models<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The US ecommerce market is concentrated, but it has not converged around one way of doing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A supplier working with Amazon Vendor Central may receive wholesale purchase orders and follow retailer-specific acknowledgment, routing, shipment, and invoicing requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same supplier may operate as a third-party marketplace seller on Walmart, fulfill dropship orders for a home improvement retailer, and receive different packing or label requirements from Wayfair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These channels may all generate \u201conline sales,\u201d but they do not create the same economics or operational workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why the strategic unit should not be \u201cAmazon versus everyone else.\u201d It should be the shortlist of retailers that matter within a supplier\u2019s category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a home furnishings company, that shortlist may include Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, Home Depot, and Lowe\u2019s. For a grocery or consumer goods supplier, the relevant combination could look completely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strong multichannel retail strategy for suppliers is therefore not about being present everywhere. It is about choosing the smallest channel portfolio that provides meaningful market coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Market Growth Does Not Make Every Channel Attractive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

US online retail continues to grow faster than retail overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US Census Bureau reported that seasonally adjusted ecommerce sales reached $326.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 9.8% from a year earlier. Ecommerce represented 16.9% of total US retail sales, while total retail sales grew by 3.9% over the same period. (Census.gov<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same gap is expected during the holiday season. EMARKETER forecasts approximately 6.6% growth for holiday ecommerce in 2026, compared with 2.6% for total holiday retail. (EMARKETER<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More retail growth is moving online. But it will not necessarily move to the same platform\u2014or create the same opportunity for every supplier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large marketplace may offer more traffic, but also require higher advertising spend. A smaller category retailer may generate lower order volume but provide stronger margins, better customer alignment, or a more valuable wholesale relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next channel should therefore be selected based on the source and quality of incremental demand, not market share alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Holiday ecommerce is growing faster than retail overall, but suppliers still need to identify where that growth is profitable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Evaluate Real Channel Value, Not Just GMV<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most channel evaluations begin with a sales forecast:<\/p>\n\n\n\n