Retail Bookstore Sales Slip in September

By Karen Schechner on Wednesday, Nov 17, 2010

Retail sales at bookstores in September were down for the sixth straight month. September 2010 sales were off by 7.14 percent, compared with September 2009, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

September 2010 bookstore sales are estimated at $1,509 million, compared with sales of $1,625 million for the same period last year.

Total retail and food service sales in September are estimated at $355.5 billion, compared with $330.3 billion in September 2009, an increase of 7.6 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

1,509 (p)

(7.14)

YTD

12,634

12,309 (p)

(2.6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(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.

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