Bookstore sales rose a solid 3.9% in June over June 2014, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales hit $698 million in the month compared to $672 million last June. Sales were no doubt helped by the June 18 release of Grey by E.L. James.
With the June increase, bookstore sales for the first half of 2015 managed to post a tiny increase over the first six months of 2014. Sales increased to $4.89 billion in the first half of the year, a 0.2% gain.
For the entire retail segment, June sales rose 3.2% and sales in the first six months of 2015 were up 2.1%.
