- Categories:
Bookstore Sales Slip in October
![Printer-friendly version Printer-friendly version](https://www.bookweb.org/sites/all/modules/contrib/print/icons/print_icon.png)
Bookstore sales softened in October, coming in at $1,107 million, or 2.9 percent lower than for October of the previous year.
While bookstore sales suffered this modest decline, overall retail sales also dipped. Overall retail of $300 billion for October 2002 was 0.7 percent lower than the $302 billion realized in October of 2001.
October is the ninth month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep up with overall retail.
Period
|
2001 Final (Millions of Dollars)
|
2002 (Millions of Dollars)
|
% Increase 2002 Over 2001
|
January |
1,698
|
2,188
|
28.9
|
February |
1,163
|
1,117
|
(4.0)
|
March |
1,165
|
1,126
|
(3.3)
|
April |
1,034
|
1,043
|
0.9
|
May |
1,188
|
1,229
|
3.5
|
June |
1,201
|
1,156
|
(3.7)
|
July |
1,124
|
1,140
|
1.4
|
August |
2,035
|
1,965
|
(3.4)
|
September |
1,570
|
1,620
|
3.2
|
October |
1,140
|
1,107 (p)
|
(2.9)
|
YTD |
13,318
|
13,691
|
2.8
|
(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.