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February Bookstore Sales Show Healthy Gain
Printer-friendly versionAfter a flat January, retail sales at bookstores in February increased nearly 10 percent over February 2003, thus resuming the upward trend of recent months. This year's February bookstore sales were $1,145 million, compared to $1,043 million in February 2003.
Bookstore sales in February kept pace with overall retail. Overall retail of $296 billion for February 2004 was 10.4 percent better than the $268 billion of the previous year.
In its latest report, the Bureau of the Census also revised its previously published 2003 and January 2004 figures. As a result readers will note that January results are slightly higher than what BTW reported last month.
|
Period
|
2003 Final
(Millions of Dollars) |
2004
(Millions of Dollars) |
% Increase
2004 Over 2003 |
| January |
2,172
|
2,153
|
(0.9)
|
| February |
1,043
|
1,145 (p)
|
9.8
|
| YTD |
3,215
|
3,298
|
2.6
|
(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.