- Categories:
2003 Bookstore Sales End on Positive Note
Printer-friendly versionBookstore sales in December 2003 resumed the upward trend of the second half of the year -- a trend interrupted only in November. Preliminary December sales of $2,036 million were 1.5 percent higher than the $2,005 million figure for December 2002.
While December’s increase was modest, it did ensure that the year 2003 ended up 2.4 percent better than the previous year.
Overall retail sales of $374 billion for December 2003 were 7.5 percent ahead of the $348 billion for December of 2002. For the year 2003 Overall retail sales ended up 5.6 percent better than the previous year.
Note: The Census Bureau recently revised November 2003 figures upward from $1,041 million to $1,047 million.
|
Period
|
2002 Final (Millions of Dollars)
|
2003 (Millions of Dollars)
|
% Increase 2003 Over 2002
|
| January |
2,039
|
2,094
|
2.7
|
| February |
1,037
|
1,005
|
(3.1)
|
| March |
1,045
|
929
|
(11.1)
|
| April |
969
|
984
|
1.5
|
| May |
1,142
|
1,105
|
(3.2)
|
|
June
|
1,073
|
1,179
|
9.9
|
| July |
1,059
|
1,129
|
6.6
|
| August |
1,825
|
2,083
|
14.1
|
| September |
1,505
|
1,524
|
1.3
|
| October |
1,028
|
1,065
|
3.6
|
| November |
1,072
|
1,047
|
(2.3)
|
| December |
2,005
|
2,036 (p)
|
1.5
|
| YTD |
15,799
|
16,180
|
2.4
|
(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.
Source: Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch.