Coronavirus pandemic sends retail sales tumbling to record lows
A lone shopper heads back to her vehicle near the Nordstrom department store in the Flatirons Crossing Mall Thursday, May 14, 2020, in Broomfield, Colo. The Nordstrom is one of the stores being closed because of the effects of the new coronavirus by the retailer, which will leave more than 160 employees without work. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
BALTIMORE — U.S. retail sales tumbled by a record 16.4% from March to April as business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus kept shoppers away, threatened stores across the country and weighed down a sinking economy.
The Commerce Department’s report on retail purchases showed a sector that has collapsed so quickly that sales over the past 12 months are down a crippling 21.6%.
The sharpest drops from March to April were at clothiers, electronics stores, furniture stores and restaurants.
A long-standing migration of consumers toward online purchases is accelerating, with that segment posting a 8.4% monthly gain.
Measured year over year, online sales surged 21.6%.
