Retail sales fell 0.2% in March, but e-commerce sales increased by 3.0%
According to Statistics Canada, retail sales have decreased by 0.2 percent to $66.4bn in March.
Sales fell in seven of nine subsectors, with the most significant decreases at furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliances retailers.
Core retail sales, excluding gasoline stations, fuel vendors, motor vehicle, and parts dealers, dropped by 0.6 percent in March. In volume terms, retail sales decreased by 0.4 percent in March.
Retail sales decreased by 0.2 percent in the first quarter, while in volume terms, retail sales increased by 0.3 percent.
Core retail sales fell by 0.6 percent in March, marking the first decline in four months. Sales declined in all but one core retail subsector.
Sales decreased at furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliances retailers by 1.6 percent, and at clothing, clothing accessories, shoes, jewelry, luggage, and leather goods retailers by 1.6 percent.
Food and beverage retailers saw a 0.4 percent decrease in receipts, while sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers experienced a 1.5 percent drop.
Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers was the only core retail subsector to report an increase in sales, rising by 1.3 percent in March.
Motor vehicle and parts dealers saw the largest increase in retail sales in March, rising by 1.0 percent for the second consecutive month. New car dealers led this gain with a 1.1 percent increase. Used car dealers were the only subsector to see a decline, dropping by 2.0 percent.
Sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors fell by 0.7 percent in March. In volume terms, sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors decreased by 1.7 percent.
Six provinces saw a decrease in retail sales in March. Ontario experienced the largest provincial decrease at 0.3 percent, led by lower sales at sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers. However, sales in the Toronto CMA rose by 1.5 percent.
Saskatchewan's retail sales fell by 3.4 percent, primarily due to lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers.
Quebec saw the largest provincial increase in retail sales in March, rising by 0.6 percent. In the Montréal CMA, sales increased by 0.3 percent.
Seasonally adjusted retail e-commerce sales increased by 3.0 percent to $4bn in March, accounting for 6.0 percent of total retail trade compared to 5.8 percent in February.
Statistics Canada’s advance estimate suggests retail sales increased by 0.7 percent in April. This figure, based on responses from 51.0 percent of companies surveyed, will be revised. The average final response rate for the survey over the previous 12 months was 90.5 percent.
