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 May, which started on Monday, May 7 and ended on Sunday, June 3. This period is compared to the 4 weeks beginning on Monday, May 8, and ending on Sunday, June 4, 2017. 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.
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 these statements except as required by law. Now with regards to the sales. As reported in our release, net sales for the 4 week month of May came in at $11,020,000,000 an increase of 14.1 percent from $9,660,000,000 last year. For the 1st 39 weeks of fiscal 2018, net sales were $103,260,000,000 an increase of 12.1 percent from the $92,110,000,000 last year.
Comparable sales were as follows. On a reported basis, the 4 week retail month in the U. S. Was an 11.7%, the 39 week fiscal year 9.0 percent. In Canada, the 4 week retail month was at 13.0% and the 39 week fiscal year is at 10.7%.
Other international, the 4 week retail month was 9.4% and the 39 week fiscal year 12.6%. Total company, 4 week retail month, 11.7% and the 39 week fiscal year, 9.7%. E com, the 4 week retail month, 34.4% and the 39 week fiscal year, 35.9%. Comparable sales excluding the impacts from Shai Duque gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows. In the 4 week retail month in the U.
S. Was an 8.7%, 39 week fiscal year 7.2%. In Canada, the 4 week retail month was a 5.4% and the 39 week fiscal year 4.1%. Other international 4 week retail month was at 7.4% in the 39 week fiscal year 7.5%. And total company, the 4 week retail month was an 8.0% and the 39 week fiscal year was a 6.7%.
E commerce for the 4 week crypto month, ex gas and FX, or just in this case FX, 33.3% and 39 week fiscal year 34.6%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights for the month of May were as follows. The U. S. Regions with the strongest results were the Midwest, Texas and Southeast.
Internationally, in local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Mexico, Japan and Taiwan. Foreign currencies year over year relative to the U. S. Dollar impacted mid comp sales as follows. Total companies benefited approximately +100basispoints Canada was helped approximately plus 550basispoints while other international was helped by approximately plus 150 basis points.
The negative impact of cannibalization on total company sales in May was slightly over 50 basis points. The impact in the U. S. Was slightly less than 50 basis points. Canada was impacted slightly more than 150 basis points and our other international slightly less than 100 basis points.
Moving to merchandise highlights, following comparable sales results, per category for May excludes the impact of foreign exchange. Food and sundries were positive mid to high single digits. Departments with the strongest results were tobacco, sundries and cooler. Hardlines were up low to mid teens year over year. Better performing departments were majors, garden, office and sporting goods.
Sales in majors were up 20 plus percent led by tablets, appliances and computers. Softlines were up mid single digits. Better performing departments included apparel, domestics and small appliances. Fresh foods were up low to mid single digits. Better performing departments were bakery and service LA.
Within the ancillary businesses, gasoline, hearing aids and optical had the best comp sales increases in May. Gasoline price inflation added approximately 2 60 basis points to total reported comp sales. The average sale price was up plus 25% at $3.06 this year compared to 2.45 dollars last year. Our traffic or frequency for May was up 5.9% worldwide and 6.1% in the U. S.
The average transaction was up 5.4% for the month, which includes the combined impacts from foreign exchange and gasoline price inflation. The June reporting period will include the 5 weeks beginning June 4 and ending Sunday, July 8, 2018, compared to the 5 weeks beginning June 5 ending Sunday, July 9, 2017. Starting with our July sales on Wednesday, July 11, we plan on moving our release time to 1:15 p. M. Pacific Time.
POSCO currently operates 7 50 warehouses, including 520 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 98 in Canada, 38 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom, 26 in Japan, 14 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 9 in Australia, 2 in Spain, 1 in Iceland and 1 in France. Krauszko also operates electronic commerce websites in the U. S, Canada, U. K, Mexico, Korea and Taiwan. If you have any questions regarding our May 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 pm Pacific Time, Wednesday, June 13. Thanks for calling Costco, and have a great day.