Hello, thank you for calling Costco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, a VP of Finance and Investor Relations, and I will review our sales results for the four-week retail month of April, which started on Monday, April 8th, and ended on Sunday, May 5th. This period is compared to the four weeks beginning on Monday, April 9th, and ending on Sunday, May 6th, 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 reported in our release, net sales for the four-week month of April came in at $11.6 billion, an increase of 7.3% from $10.81 billion last year. For the 35 weeks ended May 5th, net sales came in at $99.89 billion, an increase of 8.3% from $92.24 billion last year. This year's April retail month had one less shopping day than last year due to the calendar shift of Easter. This negatively impacted total and comparable sales by approximately one and one half to 2%. Comparable sales for the nine weeks of March and April combined will be provided in a moment, eliminating the impact of the Easter shift.
Comparable sales were as follows. On a reported basis, the U.S. was at 7.7% for the four weeks, 7.3% for nine weeks, 8.6% for 35 weeks. In Canada, it was a negative 1.9% for the four weeks, a positive 1.1% for nine weeks, and a positive 1.1% for 35 weeks. Other international, 0.9% for the four weeks, 1.3% for nine weeks, 2.1% for 35 weeks. Total company, 5.4% for four weeks, 5.6% for nine weeks, 6.6% for 35 weeks. E-commerce, 23.6% for four weeks, 22.0% for nine weeks, 25.2% for 35 weeks. Comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices, foreign exchange, and revenue recognition were as follows. In the U.S., it's a 5.6% for four weeks, 5.6% for the nine weeks, 7.0% for 35 weeks. Canada, 2.3% for the four weeks, 4.6% for nine weeks, 5.4% for 35 weeks.
Other international, 6.0% for four weeks, 6.7% for nine weeks, 5.8% for 35 weeks. Total company, 5.2% for four weeks, 5.6% for nine weeks, 6.5% for 35 weeks. E-commerce, 19.9% for four weeks, 20.0% for nine weeks, and 23.8% for 35 weeks. For e-com, the difference between the reported and the without gas effects and rev rec comps was primarily a result of revenue recognition in April. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights were as follows. In the U.S., the regions with the strongest results were the Midwest, San Diego, and L.A. Internationally, in local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Taiwan. Foreign currencies year-over-year relative to the U.S. dollar hurt April comp sales as follows. Canada by approximately 500 basis points, other international by approximately 510 basis points, and total company by approximately 140 basis points.
The impact from revenue recognition standard ASC 606 was a benefit of approximately 130 basis points for the U.S. and 100 basis points for the total company. The negative impact of cannibalization was approximately 50 basis points in the U.S., 70 basis points in Canada, 90 basis points in other international, and 60 basis points for the total company. Moving to 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 candy, deli, and liquor. Hard lines were positive mid-single digits. Better-performing departments were toys and seasonal, majors and HABA. Soft lines were also up mid-single digits. Better-performing departments included kiosk, home furnishing, and housewares. Finally, fresh foods were also up mid-single digits. Better-performing departments included service deli and meat.
Within the ancillary businesses, gasoline, Optical, and hearing aids had the best comp sales increases. Gasoline price inflation positively impacted total reported comp sales by approximately 60 basis points. The average selling price was higher 4.7% year-over-year at $3.14 per gallon this year compared to $3 a gallon a year earlier. Our comp traffic or frequency for April was up 3.3% worldwide and 3.5% in the U.S., which includes the detriment from the Easter shift. Traffic for the nine weeks of March, April combined was up 3.8% worldwide and 3.7% in the U.S. The average transaction was up 2.0% for the month, which includes the negative impact from foreign exchange and positive impacts from gasoline inflation and revenue recognition. Looking ahead, the May reporting period will include the four weeks beginning May 6th and ending June 2nd, compared to the four weeks beginning May 7th and ending June 3rd, 2018.
May sales will be released at 1:15 P.M. Pacific Time on June 5th. Prior to that, on May 30th, we will be releasing our Q3 FY 2019 earnings. Earnings will be announced after market close that day, and a conference call will follow at 2:00 P.M. The call will be streamed live via our investor relations website. Costco currently has 772 warehouses, including 535 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 100 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom, 26 in Japan, 16 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 11 in Australia, two in Spain, and one each in Iceland and France. Costco also operates E-commerce websites in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Mexico, Korea, and Taiwan.
If you have any questions regarding our April sales results or any other investor relations questions, please do not hesitate to 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 P.M. Pacific Time, Wednesday, May 15th. Thanks for calling Costco, and have a great day.