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 4 week retail month of October, which started on Monday, October 7 and ended on Sunday, November 3. This period is compared to the 4 weeks beginning on Monday, October 8 and ending on Sunday, November 4, 2018. 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 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. Now with regards to sales. As we reported in our release, net sales for the 4 week month of October came in at $11,920,000,000 an increase of 6.8% from 11.16 $1,000,000,000 last year. Comparable sales were as follows.
On a reported basis, the U. S, the 4 weeks was a 6.5% 9 weeks, 5.7 percent Canada, 4 weeks is a 4.9%, 9 weeks, 2.9%. Other international, 4 weeks was at 2.1%, 9 weeks, 2.6%. Total company, the 4 weeks is at 5.7%, 9 weeks, 4.9 percent. E commerce, the 4 weeks is a 16.5%, the 9 weeks was a 17.1%.
Comparable sales, excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, were as follows: In the U. S, the 4 weeks was a 6.8%, 9 weeks, 6.2% for Canada, 4 weeks, 6.5% 9 weeks, 5.4 percent other international, the 4 weeks was a 3.0% 9 weeks, 4.7 percent. Total company, the 4 weeks was a 6.3% 9 weeks, 5.9% and e commerce for the 4 weeks was a 16.7% and the 9 weeks, 17.6%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights were as follows. The U.
S. Regions with the strongest results were the Bay Area, L. A. And San Diego. Other international and local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Taiwan, Spain and Mexico.
Foreign currencies year over year relative to the U. S. Dollar hurt October comp sales as follows: Canada by approximately 80 basis points other international by approximately 50 basis points and total company by approximately 20 basis points. The negative impact of cannibalization was approximately 20 basis points in the U. S, 140 basis points in other international and 40 basis points for total company.
Moving into merchandise highlights. The following comparable sales results by category for the month exclude the impact of foreign exchange. Food and sundries were positive mid single digits. Departments with the strongest results were liquor, candy and deli. Hard lines were positive mid single digits.
Better performing departments were toys and seasonal, sporting goods, hardware and majors. Softlines were up mid single digits. Better performing departments included home furnishings, housewares and apparel. And finally, fresh foods were up mid to high single digits. Better performing departments included service deli and meat.
Within the ancillary businesses, gas, hearing aids and optical had the best comp sales increases. Gasoline price deflation negatively impacted total and reported comp sales by approximately minus 40 basis points. The average selling price was lower year over year at $2.97 per gallon this year compared to $3.05 a year earlier. Our comp traffic or frequency for October was up 4.7% worldwide and 4.9% in the U. S.
The average transaction was up 1.0% for the month, which includes the negative impacts from foreign exchange and gasoline deflation. Looking ahead, the November reporting period will include the 4 weeks beginning November 4 and ending December 1 compared to the 4 weeks beginning November 5 and ending December 2, 2018. November sales will be released at 1:15 Pacific Time on December 4. DASCO currently operates 7 83 warehouses, including 544 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 100 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 29 in the United Kingdom, 26 in Japan, 16 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 11 in Australia, 2 in Spain and 1 each in Iceland, France and China. Costco also operates e commerce websites in the U.
S, Canada, U. K, Mexico, Korea and Taiwan. If you have any questions regarding our October sales results or any other Investor Relations questions, please do not hesitate to call Bob Nelson at 425-313-8255, Josh Damon at 425-313-8254, or myself, David Sherwood at 425-313-8239. This recording will be available until 5 p. M.
Pacific Time, Wednesday, November 13th. Thanks for calling Costco, and have a great day.