Bookstore Sales Remain Soft in December

Posted Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Retail sales for bookstores for December 2002 continued the decline that started last October. December bookstore sales of $2,160 million fell 1.7 percent behind the $2,197 million of December 2001.

By contrast, overall retail sales experienced a modest increase. Overall retail sales for December of $351 billion was 4.2 percent better than the $337 billion of the previous year.

December is the 11th month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep up with overall retail sales.

2001-2002 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES (unadjusted)

Period
2001 Final (Millions of Dollars)
2002 (Millions of Dollars)
% Increase 2002 Over 2001
January
1,698
2,188
28.9
February
1,163
1,117
(4.0)
March
1,165
1,126
(3.3)
April
1,034
1,043
0.9
May
1,188
1,229
3.5
June
1,201
1,156
(3.7)
July
1,124
1,140
1.4
August
2,035
1,965
(3.4)
September
1,570
1,620
3.2
October
1,140
1,107
(2.9)
November
1,232
1,155
(6.3)
December
2,197
2,160(p)
(1.7)
YTD
16,747
17,006
1.5

(p) Preliminary figure

Note: Estimates reflect sales of all types of participating bookstores, including trade, college, religious, chain stores (including superstores), and others. A bookstore is defined as any retail establishment with sales comprised of more than 50 percent new books and periodicals, and estimates include sales of all products in these stores.

Source: Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch.

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