March Bookstore Sales Outpace Overall Retail [3]

March bookstore sales continued the generally upward trend of the last 10 months, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. March 2004 bookstore sales of $1,076 million were 11.7 percent better than the $963 million for March 2003.

Bookstore sales in March outpaced overall retail sales. Overall retail sales were $336 billion for March 2004, 10.5 percent better than the $304 billion of the previous year.

2003-2004 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES (unadjusted)

Period
2003 Final
(Millions of Dollars)
2004
(Millions of Dollars)
% Increase
2004 Over 2003
January
2,172
2,153
(0.9)
February
1,043
1,144
9.7
March
963
1,076 (p)
11.7
YTD
4,178
4,373
4.7

(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.

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Industry Statistics [1]
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