November bookstore sales rose 1.5%, to $805 million, compared to November 2015, according to preliminary estimates from the Census Bureau.
This marked the ninth month this year that bookstore sales have increased compared to the same period a year earlier. The only off months were July, down 0.9%, and October, down 1%.
For the year to date, bookstore sales have risen 3.4%, to $10.576 billion.
Total retail sales in November rose 5.4%, to $468.5 billion. For the year to date, total retail sales have risen 3.1%, to $4,963 billion.
Note: under Census Bureau definitions, the bookstore category consists of "establishments primarily engaged in retailing a general line of new books. These establishments may also sell stationery and related items, second-hand books, and magazines."
