Books-A-Million reported in its third-quarter filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that online sales rose 9.5%, to $6 million, in the period ended November 2. The net loss was $224,000, down from $356,000 in the comparable period last year. Sales through its bricks-and-mortar stores were flat at $96 million, with a loss of $2.4 million—up from a loss of $1.6 million in last year's third quarter.
For the first nine months of the year, online sales increased 14.3%, to $17.1 million, with the loss falling to $621,000 from $1.2 million. Sales through its traditional outlets rose 1.5%, to $299 million, and the loss was $1.8 million, compared to $134,000 in the first nine months of 2001.
