Bookstore sales dropped 3.0% in February 2017, compared to the same month in 2016, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sales this February were $744 million, down from $767 million a year ago.
The February decline follows a 3.7% drop in bookstore sales in January. The two-month losing streak has led to a 3.6% decline in bookstore sales so far in 2017. Rrevenue over the period has fallen to $2.23 billion, down from $2.32 billion in the comparable period in 2016.
Sales for the entire retail sector in February rose 1.4%, and sales for the first two months of 2017 were up 3.4% over 2016.
