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Bookstore Sales Drop in December, 2008 Flat Overall
Retail sales at bookstores this past December are estimated at $2,051 million, a drop of 4.7 percent compared to the $2,152 million in bookstore sales for December 2007, according to statistics recently released by the Bureau of the Census. For the year, bookstore retail sales were $16.9 billion, down an estimated 0.5 percent compared to 2007.
The Census Bureau also adjusted its preliminary estimates of November 2008 bookstore sales down slightly to $1,053 million, putting them at 13.0 percent below November 2007.
Total retail and food service sales fared worse than bookstores sales in December. Retail sales were an estimated $393.1 billion in December 2008, compared to $430.0 billion in December 2007, a decrease of 8.6 percent. For the year, total retail and food service sales are down an estimated 0.2 percent over last year.
Period |
2007 Final |
2008 |
% Change |
January |
2,195 |
2,285 |
4.1 |
February |
1,030 |
1,144 |
11.1 |
March |
1,019 |
1,019 |
0.0 |
April |
926 |
1,002 |
8.2 |
May |
1,125 |
1,154 |
2.6 |
June |
1,152 |
1,074 |
(6.7) |
July |
1,213 |
1,124 |
(7.4) |
August |
2,311 |
2,462 |
6.5 |
September |
1,564 |
1507 |
(3.6) |
October |
1,123 |
1,053 |
(6.2) |
November |
1,211 |
1,053 |
(13.0) |
December |
2,152 |
2,051 (p) |
(4.7) |
YTD |
17,021 |
16,930 (p) |
(0.5) |
(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.