Online Sales Grow in April, as Do Total US Retail Sales

Online sales rose 20% last month year-over-year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. Comparing April 2021 to April 2019, online sales grew 95%.

As far as total US retail sales, they grew 23% in April 2021 year-over-year.

A Mastercard spokesperson said retail sales continued to benefit from stimulus payments, coupled with warmer weather and broader reopening across the country.

Steve Sadove, Mastercard senior advisor and former CEO of Saks, said “April’s retail sales growth reinforces that the American consumer is healthy and eager to spend, especially on categories such as restaurants, which have faced restrictions over the past year.

“There are a lot of factors at play including stimulus funds, pent-up demand, and the desire to reconnect with friends and family. The fact is that people are excited to gather again and they’re refreshing their look for the occasion.”

The research also showed that many of the depressed sectors in 2020, including department stores, jewelry and lodging, showed some of the largest year-over-year gains.

Ina Steiner

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.