E-Commerce Retail Sales Rose 3.9% in Q1

Washington, DC, May 17, 2018-The estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2018 was $123.7 billion, an increase of 3.9% from the fourth quarter of 2017, the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced.

Total retail sales for the first quarter of 2018 were estimated at $1,306.7 billion, an increase of 0.2% from the fourth quarter of 2017. The first quarter 2018 e-commerce estimate increased 16.4% from the first quarter of 2017 while total retail sales increased 4.5% in the same period. E-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2018 accounted for 9.5% of total sales.

On a not adjusted basis, the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2018 totaled $114.4 billion, a decrease of 19.9% from the fourth quarter of 2017. The first quarter 2018 e-commerce estimate increased 16.4% from the first quarter of 2017 while total retail sales increased 5.3% in the same period. E-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2018 accounted for 9.3% of total sales.