- Categories:
Bookstore Sales Soft in July
Printer-friendly versionBookstore sales remained soft with July revenue off for the fourth month in a row. July 2004 bookstore sales of $1,153 million were 1.9 percent lower than the $1,175 million seen in July 2003.
Bookstore sales continued to disappoint, especially when contrasted with the strong performance of overall retail for the same period.
Overall retail of $347 billion for July 2004 was 7.4 percent better than the $323 billion in July
|
Period
|
2003 Final
(Millions of Dollars) |
2004
(Millions of Dollars) |
% Increase
2004 Over 2003 |
|
January
|
2,172
|
2,153
|
(0.9)
|
|
February
|
1,043
|
1,144
|
9.7
|
|
March
|
963
|
1,067
|
10.8
|
|
April
|
1,018
|
1,016
|
(0.2)
|
|
May
|
1,143
|
1,097
|
(4.0)
|
|
June
|
1,222
|
1,191
|
(2.5)
|
|
July
|
1,175
|
1,153 (p)
|
(1.9)
|
|
YTD
|
8,736
|
8,821
|
1.0
|
(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.