Online sales grew in April as consumers aimed to get ahead of tariffs, NRF says
April’s ecommerce snapshot makes one thing clear: shoppers hit the “buy” button sooner rather than later to dodge looming tariff costs, and the data tells the story. Here's what you need to know:
- Tariff worries pulled demand forward. Many consumers bought early to sidestep the higher prices expected to come with tariffs.
- Online sales kept climbing. April ecommerce revenue inched up 0.62% from March and surged 27.67% versus April 2024.
- Storewide growth stayed modest. Total retail sales rose 0.72% month-to-month and 6.76% year-over-year, while “core” retail sales (which exclude restaurants, auto dealers, and gas stations) grew 0.9% compared to the previous month.
- Almost every category gained ground on a month-over-month basis. Electronics led monthly growth at 2.8%. Online/non-store, groceries, sporting goods, health, apparel, and furniture all ticked higher; only general merchandise dipped slightly.
Tariffs & TikTok Shop
According to Charm data, U.S. TikTok Shop sales in March and April have also reached new heights, likely as a result of consumers looking to get ahead of tariffs.
Over the past 12 months, March and April drove the highest revenue in U.S. TikTok Shop sales, not including the holiday shopping season of November and December.
Total U.S. TikTok Shop sales in March 2025 reached $1.04 billion, while sales in April 2025 reached $882 million.
Over the past few weeks, TikTokers have also been pointing out the price increases on TikTok Shop products coming from overseas. One TikToker even pointed out that a shirt that used to be $25 is now $118.
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