December 2005 Bookstore Sales Even With 2004

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Retail sales at bookstores during December reached $2,090 million, up just .05 percent compared to December 2004, according to recently released estimates from the Bureau of the Census. This is the second month in a row that sales were up slightly compared to 2004 results. However, estimated bookstore sales of $15,924 million for all of 2005 were down 1.8 percent from the previous year.

Overall retail sales continued strong in December. Preliminary Census Bureau estimates put overall retail sales at $416 billion for December 2005, an improvement of 5.6 percent over the $394 billion reported in December 2004.

2004-2005 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES
(unadjusted)

Period

2004 Final
(Millions of Dollars)

2005
(Millions of Dollars)

% Change
2005 over 2004

January

2,070

1,969

(4.9)

February

1,072

1,027

(4.2)

March

1,036

1,038

0.2

April

987

940

(4.8)

May

1,071

1,055

(1.5)

June

1,159

1,084

(6.5)

July

1,128

1,138

0.9

August

2,043

2,079

1.8

September

1,493

1,450

(2.9)

October

1,032

988

(4.3)

November

1,044

1,066

2.1

December

2,089

2,090(p)

0.05

YTD

16,224

15,924

(1.8)

(p) Preliminary figure

Note: Estimates reflect sales of all types of participating bookstore, 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.

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