Industry Statistics

Preliminary 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.

Preliminary figures released by the Bureau of the Census show an increase in retail sales at bookstores in August 2007 of 9.3 percent compared to August 2006. August bookstore sales are estimated at $2,286 million, compared to sales of $2,091 million for the same period last year.

The retail sales slump at bookstores came to halt in July. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census show an increase in retail sales at bookstores in July 2007 of 7.3 percent as compared to July 2006. Spurred by sales of the seventh and final title in the Harry Potter series, the July figures represent the first time in a year that book sales outpaced the previous year's results.

July 2007 bookstore sales are estimated at $1,189 million, compared to sales for the previous July of $1,108 million.

An Associated Press/Ipsos poll, released on Tuesday, revealed that 27 percent of the approximately 1,000 U.S. adults polled had not read a book in the past year. However, the study showed that more than half of those who did read a book in the past year had read more than six books, and over a quarter had read more than 15.

For nearly a year now, retail sales at bookstores have been in a slump. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census show a decline in retail sales at bookstores in May 2007 of 4.3 percent as compared to May 2006. This was the 11th month in a row that book sales failed to keep pace with the previous years' results.

May 2007 bookstore sales are estimated at $1,101 million, compared to sales for the previous May of $1,150 million.

By Len Vlahos, ABA Director of Education & of BookSense.com

There I was, deep in the heart of Silicon Valley. No Blackberry, no roaming broadband connection for my laptop. Just a guy with a briefcase and hardcover copy of Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower to keep me entertained.

One key to the future success of independent bookstores is to embrace technology by building it into their store operations and using it to reinforce the unique combination of services and core competencies (e.g., their "value proposition"), according to the new Kanbay Research Institute (KRI) study, "Book Selling Demand Today." Bookstores that are able to innovate rapidly will "be able to charge the premium required to support their physical location," according to the report -- but these stores' "value proposition" must be dras

California Supreme Court Upholds Cities and Counties Right to Ban Big-Box Stores

The retail sales slump at bookstores continued as April 2007 book sales decreased compared to the previous April, according to preliminary estimates released by the Bureau of the Census. In addition, the Bureau adjusted March 2007 figures upward slightly, from $998 million to $999 million, though the end result is that bookstore sales decreased by 6.7 percent this past February, and not 6.8 percent, as preliminary figures indicated.

The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) announced some of the key findings in its just-published study, Book Industry TRENDS 2007, to a SRO crowd on Friday, June 1, at BookExpo America. Michael Healy, executive director of BISG, hosted the presentation featuring Jeff Hayes, research director for InfoTrends, and Robert Wharton and Albert Greco, senior researchers at the Institute for Publishing Research.

All told, TRENDS 2007 estimates that total publishers' net revenues in 2006 reached $35.69 billion, an increase of 3.2 percent over 2005.

ABA member booksellers who have questions about participating in the 2007 ABACUS survey, and those who would like help completing the online form, can still set up appointments to meet with David Walker at this year's BookExpo America. Walker will be available from Friday, June 1, through Sunday, June 3, in ABA's Book Sense Lounge, Room 1E07 - 1E08 of the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

Retail sales at bookstores in March 2007 decreased as compared to the previous March, according to preliminary estimates released by the Bureau of the Census. In addition, the Bureau adjusted February 2007 figures upward, though the end result is that bookstore sales decreased by 6.4 percent this past February, and not 6.5 percent, as preliminary figures indicated.

Retail sales at bookstores in February 2007 were down as compared to the previous February, according to preliminary estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. In addition, the Bureau adjusted both January 2006 and January 2007 figures upward, but the end result was that bookstore sales decreased by 1.4 percent this past January.

February 2007 bookstore sales of $1,012 million were lower than the previous February by 6.5 percent. This was the eighth month in a row that book sales failed to keep pace with the previous years' results.

The American Booksellers Association is now collecting data from member booksellers for the 2007 ABACUS survey through an enhanced web form.