Industry Statistics

Continuing the disappointing trend of the first half of this year, preliminary Census Bureau figures put May retail sales at bookstores at $1,056 million, a drop of 1.4 percent compared to May 2004. For the first five months of 2005, sales at bookstores are down 3.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Overall retail sales are strong and continue to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $353 billion for May 2005 were 6.3 percent ahead of the $332 billion reported in May of 2004.

After a flat performance in March, April retail sales at bookstores were down five percent from the same period last year. Preliminary April 2005 bookstore sales were $938 million, compared to $987 million in April 2004. For the first quarter of 2005, retail sales at bookstores were 3.7 percent below 2004 figures. Overall retail sales continue to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $343 billion for April 2005 were 7.5 percent ahead of the $319 billion reported in April of 2004.

2004 Figures Surpass Previous Two Years' While Industry Remains Flat

The Book Industry Study Group's (BISG) recently released study, Book Industry Trends 2005, projects that publishers' net dollar sales (after returns) will increase 5.3 percent to approximately $30 billion in 2005, from approximately $28.5 billion in 2004. Publishers' unit sales are projected to increase by only 2.1 percent, however, to 2.34 billion in 2005, from 2.30 billion in 2004. Meanwhile, domestic consumer expenditures on books are projected to increase by 4.8 percent to $41.1 billion in 2005, from $39.2 billion in 2004.

Retail sales at bookstores this past March matched the performance of March 2004. Although not a strong performance, March sales put an end to the decline of recent months. Preliminary March 2005 figures recently released by Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch estimate retail sales at bookstores at $1,036 million, the same as last March. Overall retail sales remain strong and continue to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $346 billion for March 2005 were 7.5 percent ahead of the $322 billion reported in March 2004.

Retail sales in bookstores in February were soft and continued the general decline of recent months. February 2005 bookstore sales of $1,027 million were 4.2 percent off the $1,072 million in sales of February 2004. Overall retail sales continued to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $301 billion for February 2005 were 5.6 percent ahead of the $285 billion reported in February 2004.

January bookstore sales registered a marked decline from the previous January. This drop, coming in the wake of an eight-month decline last year (followed by a relatively strong December), suggests that the softness in the book market continues. January 2005 bookstore sales of $1,887 million were 12.4 percent below the $2,153 million of January 2004. And January 2004 was slightly lower than the $2,172 million of January 2003.

Preliminary reports from the Current Retail Trade Branch of the Bureau of the Census show retail sales at bookstores during December 2004 were fractionally higher than the previous December. Sales for the final month of the year ended an eight-month slide in bookstore sales and offered hope that bookstore sales may finally be turning the corner. December 2004 bookstore sales of $2,122 million were 0.05 percent higher than the $2,121 million of December 2003.

The Book Sense Gift Card Program experienced healthy growth during 2004. The number of participating stores has risen to approximately 250 locations, and between October 1 and December 31, 2004, the average sale-per-card rose by 3.1 percent compared to the same period in 2003.

Bookstore sales for November fell marginally below November 2003 levels. This marked the eighth month in a row that they failed to equal the performance of 2003, although the November decline was less than that of recent months. November 2004 bookstore sales of $1,069 million were 1.9 percent below the $1,090 of November 2003. Overall retail sales continued to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $342 billion for November 2004 were 8.9 percent better than the $314 billion reported in November 2003.