January Bookstore Sales Down

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.

Overall retail sales once again outperformed bookstore sales in January. Overall retail sales of $336 billion for January 2007 were 4.3 percent ahead of the $322 billion reported in January of 2006.

(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.

Notice of Revision: Monthly retail sales were revised based on the results of the 2004 Annual Retail Trade Survey and results from the 2002 Census of Retail Trade. The Annual Revision of Monthly Retail and Food Services showing revised unadjusted and adjusted data was released on March 30, 2006.