Hello, and thank you for calling Cosco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, AVP of Finance and Investor Relations, and I will review our sales results for the 5 week retail month of March, which started on Monday, March 4 and ended on Sunday, April 7. This period is compared to the period beginning on Monday, March 5 and ending on Sunday, April 8, 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 or 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 these statements except as required by law. Now with regards to sales. As reported in our release, net sales for the 5 week month of March came in at $13,870,000,000 an increase of 7.4 percent from $12,920,000,000 last year. For the 31 weeks ended April 7, net sales came in at $88,290,000,000 an increase of 8.4% from 81 point $43,000,000,000 last year.
This year's fine week March retail month had 1 extra shopping day versus last year due to the calendar shift of Easter. This positively impacted total and comparable sales by approximately 1% to 1.5%. Super Bowl sales were as follows. On a reported basis, in the U. S, the 5 weeks was a 6.9% 31 weeks, 8.7 percent.
In Canada, the 5 weeks was a 3.8% 31 weeks, 1.5 percent other international, 5 weeks, 1.6 percent 31 weeks, 2.2 percent and for the whole company, 5 weeks was a 5.7 percent, 31 weeks, 6.8%. E commerce for the 5 weeks was a 20.6% and 31 weeks was at 25.4%. Comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices, foreign exchange and revenue recognition were as follows. In the U. S, the 5 weeks was a 5.5% 31 weeks, 7.2 percent Canada, the 5 weeks is a 6.7 percent, 31 weeks 5.8 percent.
Other international, the 5 weeks is a 7.4%, 31 weeks, 5.8 percent. Total company, 5 weeks is a 5.9%, 31 weeks, 6.7% and in e commerce, 5 weeks 20.1%, 31 weeks 24.4%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights for the month were as follows: U. S. Regions with the strongest results were the Midwest, Northeast and San Diego internationally and local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Spain, Mexico and Taiwan Foreign currency year over year relative to the U.
S. Dollar hurt March comp sales as follows: Canada by approximately 380 basis points other international by approximately 5.90 basis points and total company by approximately 130 basis points. The impact from revenue recognition from ASC 606 was a benefit of approximately 150 basis points for the U. S. And 120 basis points for total company.
The negative impact of cannibalization was approximately 60 basis points in the U. S, 100 basis points in Canada, 50 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 March exclude the impact of foreign exchange. Food and sundries were positive mid single digits.
Departments with the strongest results were candy, sundries and frozen foods. Hardlines were positive mid single digits. Better performing departments were automotive, seasonal, health and beauty and majors. Softlines were up mid to high single digits. Better performing departments included home furnishings, apparel and domestics.
Fresh foods were up mid single digits. Better performing departments included service tele and produce. Within the ancillary businesses, hearing aids, gasoline and optical had the best comp sales increases. Gasoline price deflation had a very slight negative impact on the total reported comp sales. The average selling price was lower, 0.4% year over year at $2.80 per gallon this year compared to $2.81 a year earlier.
Our comp traffic or frequency for March was up 4.2% worldwide and 3.8% in the U. S, which includes the benefit from the Easter shift. The average transaction was up 1.5% for the month, which includes the negative impacts from foreign exchange and gasoline deflation and a positive impact from revenue recognition. Looking ahead, the April reporting period will include the 4 weeks beginning April 8 and ending on May 5 compared to the 4 weeks beginning April 9, ending May 6, 2018. April will have 27 selling days this year versus 28 last year due to the calendar shift at Easter.
We estimate that the shift will negatively affect total and comparable sales by approximately 1.5% to 2%. April sales will be released at 1:15 Pacific Time on May 8. PAFSA currently operates 7 70 warehouses, including 535 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 100 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom, 26 in Japan, 15 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 10 in Australia, 2 in Spain and 1 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 March sales results or any other Investor Relations questions, please do not hesitate to call Bob Nelson at 425-313-8255, Josh Dayman at 425-313-8254 or myself, David Sherwood at 425-313-8239. This recording will be available until 5 p. M. Pacific Time, Wednesday, April 17.
Thanks for calling COSCO, and have a great day.