March Bookstore Sales Even With Last Year

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Retail sales at bookstores this past March matched the performance of March 2004. Although not a strong performance, March sales put an end to the decline of recent months. Preliminary March 2005 figures recently released by Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch estimate retail sales at bookstores at $1,036 million, the same as last March.

Overall retail sales remain strong and continue to outperform bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $346 billion for March 2005 were 7.5 percent ahead of the $322 billion reported in March 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

1,036(p)

0.0

YTD

4,178

4,032

(3.5)

(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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