E-commerce retail sales up 11.8% in Q1

The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2020, adjusted for seasonal variation, but not for price changes, was $160.3 billion, an increase of 2.4 percent (±1.1%) from the fourth quarter of 2019. Total retail sales for the first quarter of 2020 were estimated at $1,363.5 billion, a decrease of 1.3percent (±0.2%) from the fourth quarter of 2019. The first quarter 2020 e-commerce estimate increased 14.8 percent (±1.8%) from the first quarter of 2019 while total retail sales increased 2.1 percent (±0.4%) in the same period. E-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2020 accounted for 11.8 percent of total sales. 

On a not adjusted basis, the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2020 totaled $146.5 billion, a decrease of 21.1 percent (±1.1%) from the fourth quarter of 2019. The first quarter 2020 e-commerce estimate increased 14.5 percent (±1.8%) from the first quarter of 2019 while total retail sales increased 2.8 percent (±0.4%) in the same period. E-commerce sales in the first quarter of 2020 accounted for 11.5 percent of total sales.