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August Bookstore Sales Show Solid Improvement
Printer-friendly versionRecently released Census Bureau estimates for August 2003 show a 15.5 percent increase in retail sales at bookstores over August 2002. August was the third month in a row that bookstore sales showed improvement over the previous year.
August 2003 retail sales for bookstores are estimated at $2,108 million, compared to the $1,825 million figure of a year ago.
Overall retail sales of $332 billion for August 2003 were 4.1 percent ahead of the $319 billion in August of the previous year.
|
Period
|
2002 Final (Millions of Dollars)
|
2003 (Millions of Dollars)
|
% Increase 2003 Over 2002
|
| January |
2,039
|
2,094
|
2.7
|
| February |
1,037
|
1,005
|
(3.0)
|
| March |
1,045
|
929
|
(11.1)
|
| April |
969
|
984
|
1.5
|
| May |
1,142
|
1,105
|
(3.2)
|
|
June
|
1,073
|
1,179
|
9.9
|
| July |
1,059
|
1,129
|
6.6
|
| August |
1,825
|
2,108 (p)
|
15.5
|
| YTD |
10,189
|
10,533
|
3.3
|
(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.