Bookstore sales fell 3.0% in April compared to the same month last year, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total bookstore sales were $669 million in the month, compared to $689 million in April 2017. Bookstore sales for the first four months of 2018 were 2.7% lower than in the comparable period last year. Sales in the January-April period for this year were $3.26 billion, down from $3.35 billion over the time same span last year.
For the entire retail sector, sales rose 3.6% in April and were up 4.8% in the year-to-date.
Editor's Note: This story replaces yesterday's incorrect story that April bookstore sales rose 3%.
