Through August 31, 2018. Data are seasonally adjusted and include automobiles and gasoline.
Source: US Census Bureau
Total seasonally-adjusted retail sales including automobiles and gasoline increased by 6.2% year over year in August, according to the US Census Bureau. This was at level with the rate of growth seen in July.
Retail sales increased by 0.1% month over month in August, on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Year over year, sales increased by 6.3% at clothing and clothing accessories stores, 4.3% at grocery stores and 3.7% at general merchandise stores, although within that there was a 0.7% decline in department store sales.
Non-store retailers saw a year-over-year growth of 10.4% in sales.
In-Store Metrics
Conv. = conversion rate, ATV = average transaction value, SY = shopper yield, Tran. = number of transactions and % Return = percentage of goods returned to stores.
Source: RetailNext
Store-based sales and traffic declined in August, while conversion rate remained positive with average transaction value declining (1.3%) for the first time in five months and return rate metrics showing a slight decline (0.1%), according to RetailNext.
- Retail traffic declined 5.4% year over year in August.
- The average in-store transaction value declined 1.3% year over year and the number of transactions declined 3.9%.
- The conversion rate remained positive year over year for the fifth consecutive month in August, rising by 0.1%.
All geographic regions posted sales and traffic declines in August compared to the same period last year. The Northeast experienced the largest year-over-year sales decline amongst all regions, with sales down 11.7%, whereas the West reported the smallest decline, with sales down 2.8%.
