Bookstore Sales Lose Ground in August

Posted Thursday, Oct 17, 2002

August bookstore sales failed to equal last year's unusually strong performance. August 2002 sales were down 4.4 percent from August 2001.

Bookstore sales for the period failed to keep up with overall retail sales. Overall retail sales of $321 billion for August 2002 were 5.2 percent higher than the $305 billion realized in August of 2001.

August is the seventh month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep pace with overall retail.

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
1,945 (p)
(4.4)
YTD
10,608
10,944
3.2

(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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