Is it UP or DOWN?

News Item 1:

"Bookstore Sales Continue Slide

Retail sales at bookstores in February 2007 were down as compared to the previous February, according to preliminary estimates recently released by the Bureau of the Census. In addition, the Bureau adjusted both January 2006 and January 2007 figures upward, but the end result was that bookstore sales decreased by 1.4 percent this past January..."

News Item 2:

"Did You Know...

Of the 172 bookstores that participated in both the ABACUS 2006 and ABACUS 2005 surveys, 104 stores (or 60 percent of the total) reported an increase in sales between 2005 and 2006. The average sales increase was more than 10 percent. Booksellers who would like to receive a customized set of tools that can be used to evaluate their store's financial performance can join the 2007 ABACUS survey via an enhanced web form now..."

(Source: The same issue of “Bookselling This Week,” a Publication of American Booksellers Association, April 26, 2007)