December Bookstore Sales Disappointing

Posted Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007

December was the sixth month in a row that bookstore sales failed to match 2005 levels, according to estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. December bookstore sales of $1,987 million were 8.8 percent below the $2,179 million of December 2005.

While bookstore sales were down for nine months in 2006, compared to 2005 results, the year as a whole was only off 2.9 percent.

Once again, in December, overall retail sales outperformed bookstore sales. Overall retail sales of $425 billion for December 2006 were 3.9 percent ahead of the $409 billion reported in December 2005.

2005-2006 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES
(unadjusted)

Period

2005 Final
(Millions of Dollars)

2006
(Millions of Dollars)

% Change
2006 over 2005

January

2,053

2,143

4.4

February

1,070

1,052

(1.7)

March

1,082

1,041

(3.8)

April

979

940

(4.0)

May

1,098

1,118

1.8

June

1,129

1,176

4.2

July

1,187

1,077

(9.3)

August

2,167

2,031

(6.3)

September

1,511

1,483

(1.9)

October

1,030

1,003

(2.6)

November

1,111

1,066

(4.1)

December

2,179

1,987(p)

(8.8)

YTD

16,596

16,117

(2.9)

(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.

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