Sharp Drop in March Bookstore Sales
Bookstore sales in March turned sharply downward continuing the decline that began in February. March sales of $929 million were 17 percent lower than the $1,126 million realized in March of last year.
Overall retail sales of $306 billion for March 2003 were 3.4 percent ahead of the $296 billion for the previous year.
March is the 14th month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep pace with overall retail.