Retail Bookstore Sales Dip in October

By Karen Schechner on Thursday, Dec 16, 2010

Retail sales at bookstores in October were down for the seventh consecutive month. October 2010 sales slipped 2.5 percent compared with October 2009, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

October 2010 bookstore sales are estimated at $1,000 million, compared with sales of $1,026 million for the same period last year.

Total retail and food service sales in October are estimated at $353.5 billion, compared with $344.7 billion in October 2009, an increase of 2.5 percent.

Period

2009 Final
(Millions of Dollars)

2010
(Millions of Dollars)

% Change
2010 over 2009

January

2,254

2,294

2.0

February

1,019

1,013

0.3

March

997

1,013

1.6

April

966

918

(5.0)

May

1,116

1,087

(2.6)

June

1,105

1,095

(0.80)

July

1,105

1,080

(2.35)

August

2,447

2,300

(6.0)

September

1,625

1,525

(6.15)

October

1,026

1,000 (p)

(2.5)

YTD

13,660

13, 325 (p)

(2.45)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


(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.

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