Paper Greetings are America’s Calling Card

July bookstore sales fell 3.4% compared to July 2021, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales we $646 million this past July, compared to $668 million a year ago. It was the second straight month bookstore sales declined compared to 2021, after a steady string of monthly increases, and could reflect a new normal in the bookstore sales pattern, as comparisons to 2021 now reflect a period when many stores had reopened after lockdowns. In June, sales were down 8.2%. Despite the two-month sales skid, bookstore sales were still up 10.3% in the first seven months of 2022 over 2021, with sales rising to $4.54 billion from $4.11 billion in the comparable period in 2021. For the entire retail segment July sales rose 8.5% and sales increased 10.2% in the year-to-date.

Amazon announced its Best of Prime 2017 – revealing some of the Prime member favorites of the year. Built on a foundation of fast, free delivery, more than five billion items worldwide shipped with Prime in 2017, including free same-day, one-day, and two-day shipping. Prime is designed to make members’ lives easier and more fun with a unique combination of shipping, shopping and entertainment. Prime members used their digital benefits in 2017 more than in any previous year - putting The Grand Tour on Prime Video, “Believer” by Imagine Dragons on Prime Music and The Handmaid’s Tale on Prime Reading on the U.S. ‘best of’ list for 2017. Find Amazon’s Best of Prime 2017 on Prime Insider. Click Read More below for additional information.

Costco Wholesale Corporation announced that Craig Jelinek has confirmed his intention to step down as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2024. The Board of Directors has elected Ron Vachris, President and Chief Operating Officer since February 2022, as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2024. Craig and Ron have worked hand in hand over the last twenty-one months in Ron's role as president and for many years before that. This is the culmination of the long-standing succession plan that Craig has discussed with the Board. Ron is a Costco veteran, with over forty years of service to the Company, starting as a forklift driver, and subsequently serving in every major role related to Costco's business operations and merchandising activities. "Costco has a very strong culture and a deep bench of management talent," said Craig Jelinek. "I have total confidence in Ron and feel that we are fortunate as a Company to have an executive of his caliber to succeed me."