Recent Updates
- US: Consumer Sentiment (Jan-prelim), Mfg & Trade Inventories & Sales (Nov), IP & Capacity Utilization, Adv Retail Sales, Producer Prices (Dec)
- US: Industrial Production Detail (Dec)
- US: Producer Price Indexes by Commodity Detail (Dec)
- more updates...
Economy in Brief
Empire State Manufacturing Index Declines in January
The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions decreased to 3.5 in January...
U.S. Industrial Production Continues Recovery
Industrial production advanced 1.6% in December...
U.S. PPI Rose 0.3% in December
The Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.3% (0.8% y/y) in December...
U.S. Business Inventories Accumulate during November as Sales Weaken
Total business inventories increased 0.5% during November (-3.2% y/y)...
The EMU Trade Surplus Stabilizes
Both exports and imports have been regaining momentum...
Viewpoints
Commentaries are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the views of Haver Analytics.
by Tom Moeller November 19, 2020
The U.S. Commerce Department reported that during the third quarter of this year, retail sales via the internet (E-Commerce) eased 1.0% (SA) from +31.9% in Q2'20 as coronavirus lockdowns unfolded. Online sales in Q3, nonetheless, remained more than one-third higher y/y.
The Q3 E-Commerce sales decline compares to a 12.0% rise in overall retail sales (7.0% y/y) during the same period. As a result, E-Commerce sales eased to 14.3% of total retail sales from 16.1% in Q2. By comparison, these shares are up from 10.9% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2010.
Details of the E-Commerce data are not seasonally adjusted. Sales of nonstore retailers, which account for 60% of total E-Commerce sales, remained strong and posted a 4.3% (27.6% y/y) quarterly increase following a 24.2% Q2 strengthening. Motor vehicle sales increased by 16.6% (19.4% y/y). Elsewhere, sales declined. Building materials & garden equipment sales fell 16.6% (+71.0% y/y) and general merchandise store sales were off 13.7% (+55.3% y/y. Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument & book store sales fell 10.5% but rose two-thirds y/y. Food & beverage purchases weakened 8.1% in Q3 (+161.9% y/y) while furniture & home furnishing store sales were off 3.4% (+49.1% y/y). Clothing & accessory store sales fell 4.1% (+33.5% y/y).
E-commerce sales are sales of goods and services whereby the buyer places an order, or the terms of the sale and price are negotiated over an Internet, mobile device (M-commerce), extranet, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) network, electronic mail, or other comparable online system. Payment may or may not be made online. Total sales estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation, but not for price changes. They are also adjusted for trading-day differences and moving holidays.
The retail sales and retail E-Commerce sales data can be found in Haver's USECON database.
Q3'20 | Q2'20 | Q1'20 | Q3'20 Y/Y | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Retail Sales (%) | 12.0 | -3.9 | -1.2 | 7.0 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.6 | |
% of E-Commerce Sales | ||||||||
Total E-Commerce Sales (SA) | 100 | -1.0 | 31.9 | 2.4 | 36.7 | 14.9 | 13.4 | 15.5 |
Total E-Commerce Sales (NSA) | -- | -0.6 | 36.9 | -21.1 | 37.1 | -- | -- | -- |
Nonstore Retailers (NSA) | 54 | 4.3 | 24.2 | -19.8 | 27.6 | 16.1 | NA | NA |
Motor Vehicles & Parts | 5 | 16.6 | 14.1 | -11.5 | 19.4 | 9.8 | -- | -- |
Furniture & Home Furnishings | 2 | -3.4 | 39.4 | -6.7 | 49.1 | 6.8 | -- | -- |
Building Materials & Garden Equipment | 4 | -16.6 | 103.9 | -6.5 | 71.0 | 14.8 | -- | -- |
Clothing & Accessories | 7 | -4.1 | 40.0 | -7.0 | 33.5 | 8.7 | -- | -- |
General Merchandise | 4 | -13.7 | 80.6 | -42.8 | 55.3 | 14.2 | -- | -- |
Food & Beverages | 4 | -8.1 | 102.0 | 8.5 | 161.9 | 58.7 | -- | -- |
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instruments & Books | 2 | -10.5 | 84.2 | -25.7 | 63.7 | -3.4 | -- | -- |
Miscellaneous (Including Gas Stations) | 3 | 8.9 | 48.4 | -9.3 | 54.7 | 7.2 | -- |