ABA Releases Results of Semi-Annual Revenue Survey of Stores With Book Sense

The results of ABA's semi-annual revenue survey of stores with Book Sense indicate that 59 percent of reporting stores experienced an increase in sales for the first half of 2003, compared to the same period in 2002. Thirty-six percent reported a decline in sales, and 6 percent reported no change in sales from the previous year.

A third of responding stores reported sales increases of 6 percent or more, and 21 percent reported increases of more than 10 percent.

Approximately 18 percent of stores reported a dip in sales of 6 percent or more, compared to the first half of 2002, and 7 percent of stores reported declines of over 10 percent.

During summer 2003, 52 percent of responding booksellers experienced an increase in sales, compared to summer 2002; sales decreased for 33 percent of respondents; and for 11 percent, sales remained at the same level as during the previous summer.

Overall, the number of bookstores reporting increased sales for the first half of 2003 is similar to revenue survey results for the same period in 2002, but is lower than the number reporting gains in 2000 and 2001.