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Bookin' Along: Bookstore Sales Up for Third Consecutive Month
Printer-friendly versionPreliminary figures released by the Bureau of the Census show an increase in retail sales at bookstores in September 2007 of 2.7 percent compared to September 2006. September bookstore sales are estimated at $1,562 million, compared to sales of $1,521 million for the same period last year.
The September figures represent the third consecutive month that bookstore sales outpaced the previous year's results. However, bookstore sales over the first seven months are still slightly lagging behind last year total.
Overall total retail and food service sales were also up in September. Retail sales were $360 billion in September 2007, compared to $350 billion in September 2006, an increase of 2.9 percent.
|
Period |
2006 Final |
2007 |
% Change |
|
January |
2,206 |
2,175 |
-1.4 |
|
February |
1,082 |
1,013 |
-6.4 |
|
March |
1,071 |
999 |
-6.7 |
|
April |
967 |
908 |
-6.1 |
|
May |
1,150 |
1,104 |
-4.0 |
|
June |
1,210 |
1,130 |
-6.6 |
|
July |
1,108 |
1,189 |
7.3 |
|
August |
2,091 |
2,285 |
9.3 |
|
September |
1,521 |
1,562 (p) |
2.7 |
|
YTD |
12,406 |
12,365 (p) |
-0.3 |
(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.
Source: Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch.