May Bookstore Sales Fell 2.7%
by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 7/21/2003
Bookstore sales fell 2.7% in May, to $1.11 billion, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. The entire retail segment performed much better in the month, with sales up 5.1%. For the first five months of 2003, bookstore sales were down 1.7%, to $6.12 billion, with sales falling in three of the first five months of the year. Sales for all of retail increased 4.6% through May. Bookstore sales will certainly show a jump in June, thanks to Harry, Hillary and Oprah.
