Taxable Retail Sales Decline 14 Percent during Second Quarter 2009
OLYMPIA – Oct. 9, 2009 – Taxable retail sales declined 14 percent to $25 billion during the second quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, the Washington State Department of Revenue reported today.
The April-through-June sales decline is the largest one on record. Sales dropped 12.8 percent during the first quarter of 2009, and 10.8 percent during the fourth quarter of 2008, the second- and third-largest declines since reliable records have been kept beginning in 1974.
Retail trade, a component of all taxable retail sales that includes retailers but excludes other industries such as services and construction, dropped 10.7 percent to $11.1 billion.
Among the largest industries, retail sales from construction dropped 26 percent to $4.3 billion; motor vehicle and parts dropped 21 percent to $2.3 billion; accommodations and food services dropped 5.2 percent to $2.7 billion; general merchandise stores declined 0.4 percent to $1.6 billion, the retail component of wholesale trade declined 18.8 percent to $1.9 billion, miscellaneous retailers dropped 17.3 percent to $1.2 billion, information services dropped 4.1 percent to $1.2 billion, and building materials, garden equipment and supplies dropped 11.5 percent to $1.3 billion.
Results for the most populous counties:
| |
Taxable retail sales |
% change |
Retail trade |
% change |
|
King |
$9.6 billion |
-16.8% |
$3.8 billion |
-14.0% |
|
Pierce |
$2.6 billion |
-14.1% |
$1.3 billion |
-11.7% |
|
Snohomish |
$2.4 billion |
-14.8% |
$1.2 billion |
-11.4% |
|
Spokane |
$1.7 billion |
-9.0% |
$839 million |
-8.6% |
|
Clark |
$966 million |
-18.4% |
$456 million |
-8.9% |
Results for cities with the most sales:
| |
Taxable retail sales |
% change |
Retail trade |
% change |
|
Seattle |
$3.8 billion |
-13.1% |
$1.2 billion |
-11.2% |
|
Bellevue |
$1.1 billion |
-19.4% |
$512 million |
-18.4% |
|
Spokane |
$948 million |
-5.5% |
$447 million |
-6.3% |
|
Tacoma |
$947 million |
-13.3% |
$446 million |
-13.1% |
|
Vancouver |
$555 million |
-18.2% |
$250 million |
-9.3% |
Taxable retail sales and retail trade by county and city, and a breakdown of sales statewide by industries are available at here.
Results for all counties and selected cities, including breakdowns of sales by industry sector, are available here.
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