Retail Bookstore Sales Drop Again in August

By Karen Schechner on Thursday, Oct 21, 2010

August retail sales at bookstores sank for the fifth consecutive month. August 2010 sales were off by 6.5 percent, compared with August 2009, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

August 2010 bookstore sales are estimated at $2,288 million, compared with sales of $2,447 million for the same period last year.

Total retail and food service sales in August are estimated at $373.4 billion, compared with $359.2 billion in August 2009, an increase of 3.95 percent.

Period

2009 Final
(Millions of Dollars)

2010
(Millions of Dollars)

% Change
2010 over 2009

January

2,233

2,275

2.0

February

1,010

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

2,288 (p)

(6.5)

YTD

10,979

10,770 (p)

(1.9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(p) Preliminary figure

Note: Estimates reflect sales of all types of participating bookstore, 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.