E-commerce PR drives online sales by earning third-party coverage, endorsements and influencer reach that make shoppers trust a store before they choose a product. The U.S. Census Bureau put e-commerce at 17.1 percent of total retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, so online stores compete for every click. PR builds the credibility, traffic and customer relationships that a single platform feature cannot.
Last updated: October 24, 2026
Key takeaways
- The Census Bureau estimated U.S. retail e-commerce sales at $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 12.2 percent from a year earlier, while total retail sales rose 6.7 percent.
- PR gives an online store eight working parts: earned media, third-party endorsement, brand narrative, media exposure, influencers, expert positioning, digital PR and media relationships.
- Sales should rest on channels the store earns or owns, such as coverage, endorsements, creators and an email list, not on one platform's shop feature.
In this guide
- How big is e-commerce, and why does PR matter?
- What are the eight ways PR drives online sales?
- What did Instagram's Shop tab removal teach e-commerce brands?
- How do you measure whether PR drives online sales?
- What should an e-commerce PR plan include?
- Frequently asked questions
How Big Is E-Commerce, and Why Does PR Matter?
E-commerce is large and still growing faster than retail overall, which is why a polished website no longer separates one online store from thousands of others. The Census Bureau's Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales report estimated second-quarter 2026 e-commerce sales at $340.2 billion, seasonally adjusted, which was 17.1 percent of total retail sales. E-commerce sales rose 12.2 percent from the second quarter of 2025 while total retail sales rose 6.7 percent.
The Census Bureau noted that these estimates will be revised with its third-quarter 2026 release, scheduled for November 19, 2026. When the traffic is this contested, shoppers lean on outside proof, and that is what PR supplies. For the consumer side of this work, see 5W's consumer PR practice.
What Are the Eight Ways PR Drives Online Sales?
PR drives online sales through eight working parts, summarized in the table and explained in the sections that follow.
| PR tactic | What it does for the online store |
|---|---|
| Earned media and advocacy | Builds trust that advertising struggles to create |
| Third-party endorsement | Gives shoppers an independent seal of approval |
| Brand narrative | Connects the store's values to shoppers' own |
| Media exposure | Sends organic traffic to the store |
| Influencer partnerships | Borrows reach and credibility in the store's niche |
| Expert positioning | Makes the brand a reliable information source |
| Digital PR | Opens a direct line to the audience |
| Media relationships | Keeps journalists coming back to the brand |
How does PR build brand advocacy for an online store?
PR builds brand advocacy by nurturing a positive brand image through earned media instead of direct product promotion. Advertising promotes products directly, while PR takes a subtler route that cultivates trust and authenticity, which traditional e-commerce marketing tactics often find hard to create.
Why does third-party endorsement lift e-commerce sales?
Third-party endorsement lifts e-commerce sales because coverage from an independent source acts as a seal of approval. PR secures spots in industry publications, online reviews and editorial pieces.
Consumers tend to treat that coverage as more unbiased than advertising. When the media portrays a brand in a good light, it validates the brand's expertise and strengthens its credibility.
How does a brand story influence shoppers?
A brand story influences shoppers by connecting the company's values, mission and social responsibility efforts to an emotional response. PR is more than product promotion, because it shapes a positive brand image that gives customers a reason to choose the store.
That emotional bond can influence selection, because shoppers are drawn to brands that reflect their own values.
How does media exposure send traffic to an online store?
Media exposure sends traffic to an online store when well-drafted press releases and targeted outreach win placements on high-traffic publications and websites. The exposure widens the brand's circle and reaches potential customers who did not know the company existed.
Articles that feature the products or the brand story act as a springboard, sending organic traffic to the store. The 5W guide to digital PR services, including its section on food and consumer brands, shows how placements turn into search visibility.
What role do influencers play in e-commerce PR?
Influencers play a role in e-commerce PR by passing a brand message to an audience that already trusts them. Partnering with influencers who hold sway in the company's niche lets the brand borrow their reach and credibility and builds interest among their followers. The influencer marketing guide covers creator tiers, costs and measurement, and the guide to leveraging user-generated content for sales covers customer-made content.
How does expert positioning build customer confidence?
Expert positioning builds customer confidence by establishing the brand as a reliable source of information. PR opens the door to sharing the company's expertise, through insights and commentary on industry trends and issues in media channels.
That builds the brand's reputation and positions the company as a thought leader, which strengthens customer confidence in its products or services.
What is digital PR for an e-commerce brand?
Digital PR for an e-commerce brand is the use of online channels, mainly social media engagement, content marketing and influencer outreach, to reach the target audience directly. Social platforms let a company share its brand story, join conversations and build relationships with potential customers. See 5W's social media marketing services and digital PR practice.
Content marketing through insightful blog posts, articles and industry reports further cements the brand as a thought leader.
How do media relationships support online sales?
Media relationships support online sales by keeping journalists, bloggers and other niche influencers aware of the brand. Contact these people regularly, share interesting details about the brand, and offer insights relevant to their audience.
What Did Instagram's Shop Tab Removal Teach E-Commerce Brands?
The removal of Instagram's Shop tab taught e-commerce brands not to depend on one platform's commerce feature for sales. In February 2023, Instagram removed the Shop tab from its navigation bar and put a shortcut for creating content and a Reels shortcut in its place, according to Marketing Dive's report on the announcement. Instagram said businesses could still set up and run shops on the app.
The change affected businesses, especially smaller ones, that had built their marketing around the feature. Marketing Dive also reported that Meta had halted live shopping on Facebook in August 2022.
The fix is a channel the brand owns. Ask followers to join an email newsletter. That gives the business first-party data about its customers and builds more authentic, trusting relationships. Pair it with original content, which the platform has been steering brands toward, as the Instagram PR guide explains.
How Do You Measure Whether PR Drives Online Sales?
You measure PR's effect on online sales by tracking the paths shoppers take from coverage to checkout, not by counting impressions. Coverage rarely produces a sale in the same session, so combine several signals and compare them against a baseline from before the campaign.
- Tag every link the brand controls, including press kits, creator posts and newsletter features, with campaign parameters so referral traffic and orders can be traced.
- Track branded search volume before and after major placements, since shoppers often search the store's name after reading about it.
- Give creators and publishers unique discount codes or landing pages so each source has its own order count.
- Record email sign-ups from coverage, because the list is an owned channel that keeps producing sales after the coverage fades.
- Review the quality of placements by outlet, audience fit and whether the story links to the store, instead of by volume alone.
What Should an E-Commerce PR Plan Include?
An e-commerce PR plan should build the store's sales on channels it earns or owns: coverage, endorsements, influencers and an email list. Start with the proof shoppers already look for, then add reach.
- Collect reviews, ratings and customer results the press can verify.
- Pitch editors a story with a clear product, a clear customer and a clear number.
- Line up creators in the store's niche and give each a trackable link or code.
- Send every new visitor toward an email sign-up.
- Report on referral traffic, branded search and orders by source each month.
Frequently asked questions
What is e-commerce PR?
E-commerce PR is the use of earned media, endorsements, influencer partnerships and owned channels such as email to build trust and send traffic to an online store.
How big is U.S. e-commerce?
The Census Bureau estimated U.S. retail e-commerce sales at $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted, or 17.1 percent of total retail sales. The estimate is preliminary and may be revised.
Does PR increase online sales?
PR can increase online sales by earning coverage, endorsements and creator reach that send shoppers to the store and raise trust once they arrive. The effect should be measured through tagged links, branded search, discount codes and referral traffic.
How is e-commerce PR different from advertising?
Advertising promotes products directly and is paid for. PR earns third-party coverage and endorsements, which shoppers tend to treat as more independent than a brand's own messages.
What should an online store do besides rely on social platforms?
An online store should build owned channels, mainly an email list and its own content, alongside earned coverage. Instagram's removal of its Shop tab in February 2023 showed how a platform can change the feature a store depends on.
