Retail Sales at Bookstores Rose in November

By Elizabeth Knapp on Thursday, Feb 3, 2011

Retail sales at bookstores in November 2010 increased after seven months of decline. November sales increased 5.3 percent compared with November 2009, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

November 2010 bookstore sales are estimated at 1,086 million, compared with sales of 1,031 million for the same period last year.

Total retail and food service sales in November are estimated at 376.6 billion, compared with 345.7 billion in November 2009, an increase of 8.9 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

(2.5)

November

1,031

1,086 (p)

5.3

YTD

14,691

14,411 (p)

(1.9)

(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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