The growth resulted from a comparable sales increase of 31.3% and gross sales growth in new and relocated stores not within the comp base, partially offset by a lower store rely 12 months-over-yr. From an operating perspective, the second quarter was document-breaking, with comparable sales rising 31.3%, the most effective quarterly comp in our Company’s history; and adjusted EPS of .75, which represents essentially the most earnings for us in a second quarter and 5 instances what we delivered a year ago. Our E-com enterprise also had a file-breaking Q2 with our highest level of volume in a quarter since launching the platform in April of 2016. Sales continue to accelerate, increasing practically 4 occasions over Q2 final 12 months and contributed near 500 basis points to the general Company comp this quarter. Our sturdy relationships has helped us get to a win-win in terms of value administration, tariff management previously and many others. That’s a form of ongoing quantity progress for each of us and savings alongside the best way. Where can that price reduction sort of come from? Regarding health and safety, we have taken quite a few steps guided by outstanding exterior advisors and the incredible efforts of our inner team.
This initiative repositions our assortment by transferring footage from food staples to meals, entertainment and consumables, which will embrace a 20-foot enlargement in both chemicals and well being and wonder. Adjusted internet earnings for the quarter was .1 million compared to adjusted internet revenue of .6 million in Q2 of last 12 months. Depreciation expense in Q2 was million or approximately million greater than the identical interval final 12 months. For instance, the recent launch of similar-day supply via Instacart and PICKUP NOW have produced excellent leads to a very brief period of time and our cost choices online have been expanded with the addition of Lease Online Pickup in Store, the online version of the straightforward leasing program offered by Progressive in addition to the big Lots Credit card. However, I think the important thing level in your query is that I think what we’ve discovered from this interval is that we are able to run our enterprise with faster turns, which had been a purpose, in any case, previous to the disaster and I feel what we’re learning is that there might be a possibility to be more aggressive on that.
Now that it’s down even additional, thanks to the complete travel halt due to the pandemic, it could current an upside alternative for these willing to attend till the demand recovers. We’ve received a high-down structural-driven goal and then we have obtained this bottoms-up tradition frugality and identification of individual financial savings opportunities that Bruce talked about earlier in the script and that’s already generating some great ideas from across the organization, shops, DCs, company headquarters and we’re really excited about that, and just instilling that notion of continuous enchancment, continuous frugality, we expect is a significant alternative. What are the following leg of opportunities? We now have approximately 694 stores with the queue and 630 stores with The Lot, and the early reads from these stores are in line with our expectations. European Blackjack is performed with six decks whereas American Blackjack could be performed with wherever from one to eight decks. Stricter social distancing measures had been put in place in Victoria, considered one of Australia’s most populous states, following a spike in coronavirus circumstances in latest months.
I think Jack brings a lot of data to both of those, especially the primary one when it comes to adding coloration and new merchandise to the site visitors driving worth assortment. Simply to give you some shade on it, however that is now a brand new manner of life for us and everyone seems to be excited about it and we’re working as a staff as a result of this truly funds our progress initiatives. That’s very detailed shade. This was nicely above our expectations and resulted from very strong promote-by means of in seasonal product, a good general shift in our product mix toward larger margin categories and decrease markdowns, partially offset by greater shrink. Everyone knows very properly that the name of Chat roulette is synonymous with the webcam conversations. Our engagement rating is up, and our team is very supportive of the modifications that had been made in the course of the pandemic and the technique of Operation North Star. Our omnichannel initiatives are driving prime line development, increasing the comfort of the buying experience and supply options, rising buyer engagement and positioning the company for lengthy-term success. Our total goal has been to emerge from this disaster as a stronger and better firm and these ideas have helped us do that. As we discussed on our last call, when the disaster started to unfold practically six months ago, our management group aligned on guiding ideas for navigating these unsure times.
Jack joins Big Lots after seven years in leadership roles at Walmart and with more than 25 years of worldwide retail expertise spanning, merchandising, sourcing, class and model development. He has a powerful stability of strategic and executional expertise and his leadership fashion fits very nicely into our culture. Home possession charges in Canada in addition to in lots of European nations, the place no such deduction exists, are comparable to or higher than these in the United States. As we glance forward and assess the changes which have occurred in retail and the competitive panorama throughout the pandemic, we imagine the strategic work we have accomplished below Operation North Star over the previous 18 months has very properly positioned our Company for what appears to be a new regular. We’re doing good work in that promoting area.