Ecommerce Spending Jumps 20% in March as Gas Prices Push Consumers Online

A new report from Omnisend, an ecommerce marketing platform serving over 150,000 brands, found that online spending in the U.S. surged 20% from February to March 2026. This sharp, single-month spike that coincides with rising gas prices following the U.S.–Iran conflict that began on February 28, which has pushed fuel costs up more than 30% nationwide.

That 20% monthly spending jump is well above the typical 1–5% fluctuation seen outside of holiday periods, pointing to a sudden behavioral shift rather than normal seasonal variation.

After Iran blocked oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices rose above $4 per gallon across much of the country. Omnisend’s data shows consumers responded within weeks: online orders increased 12% and average order value rose 8%, suggesting shoppers are not only moving online but placing larger, more consolidated orders when they do.

A parallel consumer survey of 1,000+ U.S. adults supports the link. 83% of respondents named gas prices as their single biggest cost concern – ahead of groceries (73%), utilities (53%), and household essentials (44%). When asked how rising gas prices would change their shopping behavior, 30% said they would shop online more to avoid driving.

“When gas crosses a psychological price threshold, the math changes. A round trip to the store starts competing with ‘free’ shipping – even if that cost is ultimately built into the price. Consumers quickly adjust their routines, choosing options that feel more convenient and predictable. In that equation, online shopping often comes out ahead,” says Marty Bauer, Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend.

Essentials Spending Surges While Discretionary Stalls

The report also found that the type of spending reveals a consumer under real pressure.

For non-discretionary purchases – everyday essentials like health products, household staples, and groceries – AOV increased 22% year-over-year in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025. 

Discretionary spending tells the opposite story. AOV for non-essential categories rose just 3% year-over-year.

Survey data backs this up: 23% of consumers say they are consolidating trips into fewer, bigger shopping runs – primarily for essentials. And the gap is likely to widen – 46% of consumers say they plan to cut back on non-essential spending in the coming months.

“When consumers consolidate into bigger, less frequent orders, it can look like growth on paper — AOV goes up, revenue goes up. But a lot of that is defensive buying. People are spending more per order because they’re trying to avoid coming back for a while. That’s a very different mindset from someone casually browsing and adding things to cart. Brands that treat this like a sign of strong demand and keep pushing prices up risk speeding up the pullback,” says Bauer.