Retail sales up 5.4%

Taxable retail sales increased 5.4 percent to $28.8 billion during the third quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, the Washington State Department of Revenue reported Tuesday, Jan. 8.

 

Taxable retail sales increased 5.4 percent to $28.8 billion during the third quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, the Washington State Department of Revenue reported Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Retail trade, a subset of all sales that excludes non-retail sectors such as construction and services, rose 7.3 percent to $13.1 billion.

Among major industries, construction was up 6.1 percent to $4.6 billion, accommodations and food services increased 5.6 percent to $3.5 billion, motor vehicles and parts rose 15.7 percent to $3.0 billion, and general merchandise stores were up 4.7 percent to $2.6 billion.