Industry Statistics

Retail sales at bookstores in January, while stronger than in recent months, failed to equal sales of the previous January, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

January 2007 bookstore sales of $2,122 million were lower than the previous January by slightly less than one percentage point. This was the seventh month in a row that bookstore sales failed to keep pace with the same period during the previous year.

December was the sixth month in a row that bookstore sales failed to match 2005 levels, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. December bookstore sales of $1,987 million were 8.8 percent below the $2,179 million of December 2005.

While bookstore sales were down for nine months in 2006, compared to 2005 results, the year as a whole was only off 2.9 percent.

November was the fifth month in a row that retail sales at bookstore sales failed to keep pace with 2005 results, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. November 2006 bookstore sales of $1,092 million were 1.7 percent below the $1,111 million realized in November 2005. Bookstore sales for the first 11 months of 2006 are 1.8 percent below those for the same period in 2005.

Since the inception of the Book Sense Gift Card program in fall 2003 through December 31, 2006, participating stores have sold 700,100 cards, with a total value of more than $18 million and an average sale per card of $25.96. For the 2006 holiday season, Book Sense Gift Card sales grew nine percent over last year.

October was the fourth month in a row that retail sales at bookstores fell below 2005 levels, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. Retail sales at bookstores during October were $1,006 million, 2.3 percent below the $1,030 million figure for October 2005.

The Census Bureau also lowered previously released estimates for September 2006 bookstore sales from $1,497 million to $1,483 million. This puts year-to-date bookstore sales at 1.7 percent below 2005 results.

Retail sales at bookstores in September were nearly on a par with the previous September, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census.

September 2006 bookstore sales were down just 0.9 percent from September 2005. However, it was the third month in a row that bookstore sales failed to equal or exceed last year's results. Year-to-date sales are 1.6 percent below 2005.

Overall retail sales of $352 billion for September 2006 are 4.5 percent above the $337 billion of September 2005.

August was the second month in a row that retail sales at bookstores failed to keep pace with the previous year, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. August 2006 bookstore sales of $2,001 million were down 7.7 percent from last August. Year-to-date retail sales at bookstores are now down 2.0 percent from 2005.

In contrast, overall retail sales of $382 billion for August 2006 reflect a 6.4 percent increase over the $359 billion of August 2005.

Bookstore sales in July marked a disappointing downward turn after two months of encouraging gains, according to estimates released by the Bureau of the Census. Sales of $1,077 million for July 2006 were 9.3 percent off sales for the same month a year ago. As a result, year-to-date sales for 2006 are now down slightly from 2005.

Overall Retail Sales of $369 billion for July 2006 came in 4.2 percent over the $354 billion of July 2005.

Retail sales at bookstores this June reflected a healthy increase over June 2005, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. June 2006 bookstore sales of $1,176 million were 4.2 percent higher than the $1,129 million of June 2005. This was the second consecutive month that bookstore sales showed an improvement over the same period last year.

Overall retail sales of $373 billion for June 2006 were 5.4 percent better than the $354 billion of June 2005.

After three months of decline, May 2006 retail sales at bookstores reflected a small increase over sales in May 2005, according to recently released Census Bureau estimates. May bookstore sales of $1,111 million were 1.2 percent better than the $1,098 million reported in May 2005.

Although not a substantial gain, the increase kept bookstore sales for the year to date just above those for the same period in 2005.

April was the third month in a row that retail sales at bookstores failed to keep pace with 2005 results, according to figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. Bookstore sales of $937 million in April were 4.3 percent off the $979 million realized in April 2005.

Overall retail sales continued to outperform bookstore sales. April's overall retail sales of $357 billion were 5.6 percent better than the $338 billion reported in April 2005.

On Friday, May 19, at BookExpo America in Washington, D.C., the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), announced some of the key findings in its recent study, Book Industry TRENDS 2006. This year's TRENDS takes a "giant step forward," said Angela Bole, BISG's marketing and communications manager, because it now includes extensive primary research with publishers whose annual revenues are under $50 million.

March 2006 retail sales at bookstores slipped almost four percent compared to March 2005, according to recent estimates from the Bureau of the Census. This marked the second month in a row that sales have failed to meet or beat the previous year's results. Bookstore sales in March were $1,040 million, down from $1,082 million in March 2005.

Overall retail sales continued to outpace bookstore sales. In March 2006, overall retail sales were $367 billion, 7.6 percent better than the $341 billion reported in March 2005.

February bookstore sales of $1,052 million were down 1.7 percent compared to February 2005, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. At the same time, however, the Bureau adjusted January figures upward. As a result, January 2006 retail sales at bookstores were 4.4 percent above those of January 2005. Because of the improvement in January sales, year-to-date bookstore sales are 2.3 percent ahead of the same period for the previous year.

January 2006 retail sales at bookstores failed to equal sales for the previous January, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. Although the decline was just .25 percent, it was in sharp contrast to the strong growth in overall retail, which was estimated to be 9.4 percent above January 2005.