General retail sales in October rose 0.4% over September and were up
6.5% from October 2005, indicating high chances for "robust holiday
sales," today's Wall Street Journal reported.
A Commerce Department report suggested that purchases by consumers were
"slowing down a bit, but that falling home sales aren't yet seriously
affecting spending in other sectors."
Despite falling house prices, "job and wage gains, together with lower
gasoline bills, have left [consumers] with more spending money," the Journal said.
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Bookstore sales in September were $1.497 billion, down 0.93% from
$1.511 billion in the same month in 2005, according to preliminary
estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. By contrast, total retail sales in
September rose 4.1% to $316.34 billion compared to $303.761 billion in
September 2005.
For the year to date, bookstore sales were $12.075 billion, down 1.6%
from $12.276 billion in the first nine months of 2005. The Bureau also
revised August sales
upward to $2.031 billion from $2.001 billion.
Through June, sales for the year to date had been up 0.8%, but with the
9.3% drop in sales in July compared to July 2005, year to date sales
slipped into negative territory.
Note: under Census Bureau definitions, bookstore sales are of new books
and do not include "electronic home shopping, mail-order, or direct
sale" or used book sales.