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Retail sales at bookstores during October 2008 are estimated at $1,060 million, a drop of 5.6 percent from the $1,123 million in bookstore sales for the same period last year, according to statistics recently released by the Bureau of the Census. For the year to date, retail bookstore sales are up an estimated 1.3 percent compared to 2007.
The Census Bureau also adjusted its preliminary estimates of September 2008 bookstore sales upward to $1,507 million, putting them at 3.6 percent below September 2007.
Total retail and food service sales fared only slightly better than bookstores sales in September. Retail sales were $357.9 billion in October 2008, compared to $372.5 billion in October 2007, a decrease of 3.9 percent.
| Period | 2007 Final | 2008 | % Change |
| January | 2,195 | 2,285 | 4.1 |
| February | 1,030 | 1,144 | 11.1 |
| March | 1,019 | 1,019 | 0.0 |
| April | 926 | 1,002 | 8.2 |
| May | 1,125 | 1,154 | 2.6 |
| June | 1,152 | 1,074 | (6.7) |
| July | 1,213 | 1,124 | (7.4) |
| August | 2,311 | 2,462 | 6.5 |
| September | 1,564 | 1507 | (3.6) |
| October | 1,123 | 1,060 (p) | (5.6) |
| YTD | 13,658 | 13,833 (p) | 1.3 |
(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.