Year-over-year retail sales (minus motor vehicles and gasoline) rose by 4.8 percent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The increase marks their biggest year-over-year jump since July 2018. Nonstore sales (a category that comprises all online sales, including those processed by physical retailers, plus mail-order companies) climbed by 16 percent.
Food-and-beverage store sales were up by 4.3 percent, while health and personal-care store sales increased by 3.7 percent. Restaurant and drinking establishment sales went up by 1.1 percent
Food-and-beverage sales rose by 4.3 percent
Sales in the sporting-goods, hobby, books and music category rose for the first time since March 2018, by 2.1 percent.
Although total general merchandise stores increased by 1 percent, that category's traditional and discount department-store subset fell back by 5.4 percent. Apparel sales edged up by 0.4 percent and furniture sales by 0.1 percent, while electronics stores declined by 3.5 percent.
By Edmund Mander
Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT
