Hello, and thank you for calling Costco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, AVP of Finance and Investor Relations, and I will review our sales results for the four-week retail month of January, which started on Monday, January 4th, and ended on Sunday, January 31st. This period is compared to the four weeks that began on Monday, January 6th, and ended on Sunday, February 2nd, 2020. This call will include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, and/or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those outlined in today's call and sales release, as well as other risks identified from time to time in the company's public statements and reports filed with the SEC.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company does not undertake to update them except as required by law. As reported in our release, net sales for January came in at $13.64 billion, an increase of 17.9% from $11.57 billion last year. Comparable sales were as follows. On a reported basis in the U.S., the four weeks is at 15.4%. For the 22 weeks, 12.8%. In Canada, the four weeks is at 15.2%. 22 weeks, 13.9%. Other international, the four weeks is at 19.0%, the 22 weeks was at 19.0%. Total company, the four weeks is at 15.9%, 22 weeks, 13.8%, and e-commerce for the four weeks was at 106.7%, and for 22 weeks, 79.5%. Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows. In the U.S., the four weeks was at 16.4%, 22 weeks, 14.7%.
In Canada, the four weeks was at 12.2%, 22 weeks, 13.1%. Other international, the four weeks was at 15.3%, 22 weeks, 16.7%. In total company, the four weeks was at 15.7%, 22 weeks, 14.7%, and e-commerce, the four weeks was at 105.4%, and the 22 weeks is at 78.9%. Comp traffic or frequency for January was up 2.6% worldwide and up 5.1% in the U.S. Worldwide, the average transaction was up 12.9%, which included the negative impact of 90 basis points from gasoline deflation and a positive 110 basis points of benefit from FX. Foreign currencies year-over-year relative to the U.S. dollar impacted January comp sales as follows. Canada, positively by approximately 325 basis points. Other international, positively by approximately 470 basis points, and total company, positively by approximately 110 basis points. Gasoline price deflation negatively impacted total reported comp sales by approximately 90 basis points.
The average selling price was 9% lower year-over-year at $2.51 per gallon this year compared to $2.75 last year. Total gallons sold also continued to be lower year-over-year, down approximately 10%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights were as follows. U.S. regions with the strongest sales increases were Texas, Midwest, and Southeast. Other international and local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Japan, Mexico, and Korea. Moving to the merchandise highlights, the following comparable sales results by category for the month exclude the positive impact of foreign exchange. Food and Sundries were positive high teens. Departments with the strongest results were frozen foods, liquor, cooler, and foods. Fresh foods were up low 20s. Better performing departments included meat and produce. Hard lines were a positive 30%. Better performing departments included seasonal, sporting goods, garden, and majors, which includes consumer electronics.
Soft lines were positive 20%. Jewelry, domestics, and small appliances were strong in the month. Ancillary business sales were down high single digits, primarily due to lower year-over-year sales in food court, hearing aids, and gasoline. Looking ahead, the February reporting period will include four weeks beginning February 1st and ending February 28th, compared to the four weeks beginning February 3rd and ending March 1st, 2020. Remember that February sales last year benefited from an uptick in consumer demand in the fourth week of the reporting period, attributed to the beginning of stockpiling related to COVID-19. February sales will be announced in conjunction with our Q2 quarterly results Thursday, March 4th at 1:15 P.M. Pacific Time. A discussion on both Q2 earnings and February sales will occur at 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time on the 4th.
If you have any questions regarding our January sales results or any other investor relations questions, please call Bob Nelson at 425-313-8255, Josh Dahmen at 425-313-8254, or myself, David Sherwood, at 425-313-8239. This recording will be available until 5:00 PM Pacific Time Wednesday, February 10th. Thanks for calling and have a great day.