Bookstore sales increased 1.7% in September over September 2015, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales in September were $1.16 billion, up from $1.14 billion one year ago.
After posting a 6.1% increase in the first half of 2016 over the comparable period in 2015, the growth of bookstore sales slowed in the third quarter. Still, for the first nine months of the year, bookstore sales were up 3.8%, to $9.00 billion, over the January to September period in 2015.
In the nine-month period, bookstore sales were performing better than the overall retail market where sales were ahead 3.0% over 2015. Total retail sales in September rose 3.9% over 2015.
