US 2020 bookstore sales down 28%

In the US, full-year data for 2020 shows bookstore sales fell 28.3% from 2019, according to preliminary estimates from the US Census Bureau, reports Publishers Weekly.

Bookstore sales were down 15.2% in December compared to the same month in 2019—the smallest monthly decline since February, when sales were down 0.7% before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Sales were down 33.2% in March and 74.2% in April.

Bookstore sales declines eased as the year progressed, with November sales down 21.5% following a 28.9% decline in October. For the full year, bookstore sales were US$6.34 billion (A$8.13 billion) compared to US$8.84 billion (A$11.4 billion) in 2019. The Census Bureau data considers bookstore sales as those from stores at which books constitute at least 50% of revenue.

Category: International news