Hello and thank you for calling Costco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, EVP of Finance and Investor Relations, and I will review with you our sales results for the 4 week retail month of April, which started on Monday, April 9th and ended on Sunday, May 6th. This period is compared to the 4 weeks beginning on Monday, April 10, and ending on Sunday, May 7, 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.
The risks and 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 April came in at $10,810,000,000 an increase of 13.1 percent from $9,560,000,000 last year. For the 1st 35 weeks of fiscal year 2018, the company reported net sales of $92,240,000,000 an increase of 12.2 percent from $82,240,000,000 over the 1st 35 weeks of fiscal year 2017. This year's April had one additional shopping day versus last year due to the calendar shift of Easter.
This positively impacted total and comparable April sales by approximately 1.5% to 2%. Comparable sales for the 9 weeks of March April combined will be provided in a moment, eliminating the impact of the Easter shift. Comparable sales were as follows. In the U. S, the 4 week retail month was at 10.2%, the 9 week March April retail combined 9.1%, 35 week fiscal year 8.9%.
For Canada, the 4 week retail month was at 14.0 percent, the 9 week March April combined 10.2% and the 35 week fiscal year 10.1%. In Other International, the 4 week retail month was 11.2%. The 9 week March April retail was 11.8% and the 35 week fiscal year 13.3%. The total company in the 4 week retail month is a 10.9%, the 9 week March April retail month combined 9.6% and the 35 week fiscal year 9.6%. For e commerce, the 4 week retail month is a 43.1%, the 9 week March April combined, 37.8 percent and the 35 weeks of fiscal year is 34.9%.
Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows: In the U. S, the 4 week retail month, 7.9 percent 9 weeks of March April, 7.2% and the 35 weeks of fiscal year, 7.3%. In Canada, the 4 week retail month, 6.0%, 9 week March April is 3.8% and the 35 week fiscal year 3.6%. Other international, the 4 week retail month is a 6.3 percent, the 9 week March April 5.7% and the 35 week fiscal year, 7.7%. Total company in the 4 week retail month is a 7.3%, 9 week retail combined of March April 6.5% and the 35 week fiscal year 6.8%.
E commerce 4 week retail month 41.5 percent 9 weeks of March April combined 36.4% and the 35 week fiscal year 33.5%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights for the month of April were as follows. The U. S. Regions with the strongest results were the Southeast, Northwest and Bay Area.
Internationally, in local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Mexico, Japan and the U. K. Foreign currencies year over year relative to the U. S. Dollar impacted April comp sales as follows.
The total company benefited approximately plus 150 basis points. Canada was helped approximately plus 650 basis points, while other international was helped by approximately plus 450 basis points. The impact of cannibalization on total company sales in April was approximately minus 50 basis points. The impact in the U. S.
Was a little less than minus 50 basis points. In Canada, they were impacted approximately minus 200 basis points, and our other international segment was negatively impacted by approximately minus 25 basis points. Moving to our merchandise highlights, the following comparable sales results by category for April exclude the impact of foreign exchange. Food and sundries were positive mid single digits. Departments with the strongest results were tobacco, sundries and cooler.
Hardlines were up high single digits year over year. Better performing departments were office, tires and majors. Sales and majors were up mid teens led by appliances, TVs, computers and tablets. Softlines were up high single digits. Better performing departments include apparel, small appliances and jewelry.
Fresh foods were up low to mid single digits. The better performing departments were service deli and produce. Within the ancillary businesses, gasoline, hearing aids and optical had the best comp sales increases in April. Gasoline price inflation had approximately plus 200 basis point positive impact on total reported comp sales. The average selling price was up 18% at $2.93 this year compared to $2.48 last year.
Our comp traffic or frequency for April was up 5.0% worldwide and up 4.9% in the U. S. These results included the positive impact from the holiday shift. For March April combined, comp traffic was up 4.6% worldwide and 4.7% in the U. S.
The average transaction was up 5.6% for the month, which includes the combined impacts from foreign exchange and gasoline price inflation. The May reporting period will include the 4 weeks beginning May 7 and ending Sunday, June 3, 2018, compared to the 4 weeks beginning May 8 and ending Sunday, June 4, 2017. We plan to announce our May sales results Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 6 pm Pacific Time. In addition, we will announce our Q3 fiscal 2018 earnings after market close on Wednesday, May 31, 2018 at 1:15 p. M.
Pacific Time. Call to discuss these results will be held at 2 p. M. Pacific Time and can be streamed live via our Investor Relations website. Costco currently operates 749 warehouses, including 5 19 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.
Costco also operates e commerce websites in the United States, Canada, UK, 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 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, May 16th. Thanks for calling Costco, and have a great day.