- Categories:
Bookstore Sales for April Remain Soft
Bookstore sales in April were soft, though the decline was not as sharp as it had been in the previous two months. April sales of $984 million were 5.7 percent lower than the $1,043 million realized in April of last year.
Overall retail sales of $308 billion for April 2003 were 3.7 percent ahead of the $297 billion for the previous year.
April is the 15th month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep pace with overall retail.
Period
|
2002 Final (Millions of Dollars)
|
2003 (Millions of Dollars)
|
% Increase 2003 Over 2002
|
January |
2,188
|
2,094
|
(4.3)
|
February |
1,117
|
1,005
|
(10.0)
|
March |
1,126
|
929
|
(17.5)
|
April |
1,043
|
984 (p)
|
(5.7)
|
YTD |
5,474
|
5,012
|
(8.4)
|
(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.