Hello and thank you for calling Costco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, AVP of Finance and Investor Relations, and I will review with you our sales results for the 5 week retail month of March, which started on Monday, March 5 and ended on Sunday, April 8. This period is compared to the 5 weeks beginning on Monday, March 6, ending on Sunday, April 9, 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.
These 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 sales, as reported in our release, net sales for the 5 week month of March came in at $12,920,000,000 an increase of 10.9 percent from the $11,650,000,000 last year. For the 1st 31 weeks of fiscal year 2018, the company reported net sales of $81,430,000,000 an increase of 11.8 percent from $72,820,000,000 over the 1st 31 weeks of fiscal year 2017. This year's 5 week March retail month had 1 fewer shopping day versus last year due to the calendar shift of Easter.
This negatively impacted total and comparable March sales by approximately 1% to 1.5%. Comparable sales were as follows. In the U. S, the 5 week retail month was an 8.3%, 31 week fiscal year 8.5%. In Canada, the 5 week retail month was 7.1%, the 31 week fiscal year 9.8%.
Other international, 5 week retail month of 12.3%, 31 week fiscal year 12.9%. Total company 5 week retail month 8.6 percent, 31 week fiscal year 9.3 percent e commerce 5 week retail month 33.2 percent 31 week fiscal year 33.7%. Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows. In the U. S, the 5 week retail month was 6.7% and the 31 week fiscal year 7.0%.
In Canada, the 5 week retail month was a 2.0%, 31 week fiscal year 3.5%. Other international, 5 week retail month at 5.4%, 31 week fiscal year of 7.3 percent and total company 5 week retail month is 5.8% and the 31 week fiscal year 6 point 5%. And lastly, e commerce for the 5 week retail month was 32.1% and the 31 week fiscal year 32.4%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights for the month of March were as follows. The U.
S. Regions with the strongest results were the Southeast, Midwest and Northwest. Internationally and local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Mexico, Japan and the UK. Foreign currencies year over year relative to the U. S.
Dollar impacted our reported March comp sales as follows. The total company benefited approximately plus 150 basis points Canada was helped approximately plus 3.75 basis points while other international was helped by approximately plus 6 75 basis points. The impact of cannibalization on total company sales in March was approximately minus 50 basis points. The impact in the U. S.
Was approximately minus 50 basis points. Canada was impacted approximately minus 125 basis points and our other international segment was negatively impacted by approximately minus 5 basis points. Moving to our 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 tobacco, liquor and deli.
Hardlines were up high single digits year over year. Better performing departments were majors, hardware and seasonal. Sales in majors were up 30 plus percent led by appliances and tablets. Softlines were up mid single digits. Better performing departments include jewelry, housewares and small appliances.
Fresh foods were up mid single digits. The better performing departments were bakery and service deli. Within the ancillary businesses, gasoline, optical and pharmacy had the best comp sales increases in March. Gasoline price inflation had approximately plus 150 basis point positive impact on total reported cost sales. The average selling price was up plus 14% at $2.74 this year compared to $2.40 a gallon last year.
Our comp traffic or frequency for March was up plus 4.3% worldwide and plus 4.5% in the U. S. These results include the negative impact from the holiday shift as discussed earlier. The average transaction was up 4.2% for the month, which includes the combined impacts of foreign exchange and gasoline price inflation as provided earlier. The April reporting period will include the 4 weeks beginning April 9 and ended Sunday, May 6, 2018, compared to the 4 weeks beginning April 10 and ending on Sunday, May 7th, 2017.
This year's April reporting period will include 1 additional shopping day versus last year, so 28 versus 27. Again due to the calendar shift of Easter. It's estimated this will positively impact the month approximately 1.5% to 2%. We plan to announce our April sales results Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 6 pm Pacific Time. Costco currently operates 7 49 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 electronic 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 Damon at 425-313-8254 or myself, David Sherwood, at 425-313-8239. This recording will be available until 5 pm Pacific Time, Wednesday, April 18th.
Thanks for calling Costco, and have a great day.