Total US retail sales for May declined by 0.3 per cent month over month. On a year-over-year basis in May, total retail sales increased by 3.8 per cent and retail sales excluding autos also increased by 3.8 per cent. Five out of 13 major store categories posted positive sales results, while two were flat compared with April. Non-store retailers and furniture stores posted the largest month-over-month increases, of 0.8 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively.

A number of in-store metrics were negative in May but showed a slight improvement from previous months. Sales were down 5.5 per cent year over year, the smallest decline in the last six months. In-store traffic fell by 6.1 per cent in May year over year, but the decline was lower than that seen in most recent months.

As shoppers continued to shift their spending online, e-commerce sales continued their trend of double-digit growth. Sales at non-store retailers rose by 10.2 per cent year over year in May, following an 11.4 per cent year-over-year increase in April.

Average transaction value continued a three-month upward trend in May, and was up 1.6 per cent year over year, while sales per shopper increased by 0.6 per cent. Total transactions declined by less than ten per cent for the first time since January.