Bookstore Sales Down 4.6% in October

October bookstore sales fell 4.6%, to $684 million, compared to October 2016, according to preliminary estimates from the Census Bureau. This marks the fourth down month after a four-month streak in which bookstore sales rose every month. For the first 10 months of the year, bookstore sales are $8.4 billion, down 2.9% compared to the same period in 2016.

Total retail sales in October rose 4.9%, to $476.9 billion. For the year to date, total retail sales have risen 4%, to $4,692 billion.

Note: under Census Bureau definitions, the bookstore category consists of "establishments primarily engaged in retailing new books."

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