Taxable Retail Sales Decline 4.2 Percent in Third Quarter 2008
OLYMPIA, Wash., Jan. 13, 2009 — Taxable retail sales declined 4.2 percent to $29.8 billion during the third quarter of 2008, the Washington State Department of Revenue reported today.
Retail trade was down 6.2 percent to $12.4 billion. Retail trade is a subset of all taxable retail sales that excludes construction, services and other non-retail businesses. Retail trade is a better measure of consumer purchases.
Among major industries, construction dropped 4.9 percent to $6.4 billion. Motor vehicle and parts dropped 19.6 percent to $2.7 billion. Accommodations and food services increased 1.8 percent to $3 billion, but building materials, garden equipment and supplies dropped 9.6 percent to $1.3 billion.
Results for the most populous counties:
|
Taxable retail sales |
% change |
Retail trade |
% change |
King |
$11.74 billion |
-4.41% |
$4.32 billion |
-7.21% |
Pierce |
$3.05 billion |
-6.14% |
$1.41 billion |
-9.18% |
Snohomish |
$2.79 billion |
-8.17% |
$1.35 billion |
-8.75% |
Spokane |
$1.94 billion |
-4.19% |
$916.8 million |
-5.33% |
Clark |
$1.18 billion |
-7.38% |
$499.9 million |
-7.88% |
Results for cities with the most sales:
|
Taxable retail sales |
% change |
Retail trade |
% change |
Seattle |
$4.49 billion |
-4.23% |
$1.34 billion |
-3.24% |
Bellevue |
$1.45 billion |
-4.75% |
$593.4 million |
-12.23% |
Tacoma |
$1.09 billion |
-7.53% |
$503.0 million |
-9.90% |
Spokane |
$1.03 billion |
0.15% |
$488.1 million |
1.12% |
Everett |
$681.2 million |
-7.90% |
$299.8 million |
-11.33% |
Results for all counties and selected cities, including breakdowns of sales by industry sector, are available here.
Breakdowns of taxable retail sales and retail trade by counties and cities are available here and here.
Statewide results by industry are available here.
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