Online and other nonstore retail sales grew in February while both consumers and retailers showed concerns over the effects of tariffs on product prices.

February online and other nonstore retailers grew sales 6.5% year over year, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, February total retail sales saw a slight increase over January (0.2%) while growing at a faster rate year over year (3.1% over February 2024), the Census Bureau said. As part of that, Food & Beverage retailers grew sales 3.9% year over year in February, it said.

National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz called February’s sales growth “modest” amid “consumer worries over inflation and Washington policy decisions.”

Washington’s recent policy decisions to impose tariffs on purchases from trade partners — including but not limited to Canada, Mexico and China — have led executives at leading American retailers to reassess the health of their supply chains. Similarly, executives at leading B2B distributors are also bracing for the impact of tariffs, making strategic operational shifts in an effort to mitigate sales declines. As a result, many said they expect price increases to help maintain profit margins.

“Lower-than-expected consumer spending in the first couple of months of the year likely reflected payback for very strong spending in the fourth quarter and weather-related events since then,” Kleinhenz said in a statement. “Moreover, these results show that households are apprehensive and carefully navigating lingering inflation and turmoil related to changing economic policies.”

Online retail sales in February 2025

February online and other nonstore retail sales increased to $125.70 billion in 2025 from $118.03 billion in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. That compares with $122.70 billion in January 2025 online retail sales and $125.77 billion in December 2024.

Meanwhile, government data shows total retail sales in February 2025 reached $722.7 billion. Although that’s a slight bump up from January (0.2%), it’s 3.1% more than in February 2024.

NRF data indicates total retail sales decreased 0.22% in February compared to January. And compared to February 2024, they grew 3.38%.

CNBC and NRF’s Retail Monitor exclude automobile and gasoline from their calculation of total retail sales. Additionally, they identify a calculation for “core” retail sales, which exclude restaurants in addition to automobile dealers and gas stations.

NRF core retail sales data indicates a 0.22% month-over-month decrease in February. Meanwhile, core retail sales grew 4.11% year over year.

NRF says the Retail Monitor uses actual, anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions and does not need to be revised monthly or annually.

Impact of tariffs on February retail sales

Consumers had already been concerned about tariffs in February, leading to “modest” retail sales growth compared to January, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. Still, total sales grew compared to January as well as year over year in February 2025.

NRF said the month-over-month decline in February sales came after President Donald Trump announced 10% tariffs on goods from China at the beginning of that month, as well as 25% on those from Canada and Mexico. The Canada-Mexico tariffs were immediately delayed by a month, then delayed again for most goods until April 2. Then, the administration doubled the tariffs on China to 20%.

“Consumer spending dipped slightly again in February due to the combination of harsh winter weather and declining consumer confidence driven by tariffs, concerns about rising unemployment and policy uncertainty,” said Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO, in a statement. “Unease about the probability of inflation and paying higher prices for non-discretionary goods has the value-conscious consumer spending less and saving more.”

Upcoming impacts of tariffs on retailers

Looking forward to March, NRF expects imports “amid continuing tariff turmoil” to remain elevated through the spring. However, it said import volumes at major U.S. container ports can decline in the summer, according to data in its Global Port Tracker.

“Retailers are continuing to bring as much merchandise into the country ahead of rising tariffs as possible,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy, in a statement. “The on-again, off-again tariffs against Canada and Mexico won’t have a direct impact on port volumes because most of those goods move by truck or rail.”

He added that the doubled tariffs on China, as well as uncertainty over “reciprocal” tariffs that could start in April, are sources of concern.

“Retailers have been working on supply chain diversification, but that doesn’t happen overnight,” Gold said. “In the meantime, tariffs are taxes on imports ultimately paid by consumers, not foreign countries, and American families will pay more as long as they are in place.”

NRF monthly sales growth breakdown by category

Sales dipped month over month in almost all categories

• Online and other nonstore sales grew 0.46% month over month in February.
• Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores (up 0.93%)
• Health and personal care stores (down 0.44%)
• General merchandise stores (down 0.42%)
• Grocery and beverage stores (down 0.07%)
• Clothing and accessories stores (down 0.78%)
• Electronics and appliance stores (down 0.43%)
• Building and garden supply stores (down 1.02%)
• Furniture and home furnishings stores (down 1.01%)

Sales grew year over year in most retail categories

• Online and other nonstore sales increased 36.51% year over year in February.
• Health and personal care stores (up 8.33%)
• General merchandise stores (up 6.2%)
• Grocery and beverage stores (up 4.08%)
• Clothing and accessories stores (up 3.75%)
• Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores (up 3.57%)
• Electronics and appliance stores (down 0.06%)
• Building and garden supply stores (down 3.34%)
• Furniture and home furnishings stores (down 3.67%)

Click here to read last month’s update on U.S. online retail sales.

Do you rank in our databases? 

Submit your data and we’ll see where you fit in our next ranking update.

Sign up

Stay on top of the latest developments in the online retail industry. Sign up for a complimentary subscription to Digital Commerce 360 Retail News. Follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and YouTube. Be the first to know when Digital Commerce 360 publishes news content.