Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2017, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $474.8 billion, a decrease of 0.2 percent from the previous month, and 3.2 percent above August 2016. Total sales for the June 2017 through August 2017 period were up 3.2 percent from the same period a year ago.

The June 2017 to July 2017 percent change was revised from up 0.6 percent to up 0.3 percent. Retail trade sales were down 0.3 percent from July 2017, and up 3.3 percent from last year. Nonstore Retailers were up 8.4 percent (±1.6 percent) from August 2016, while Building Materials and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers were up 7.5 percent from last year