3Q retail sales dropped 11.6 percent in Washington state; 3rd largest decrease on record

3Q retail sales in Wash. dropped 11.6 percent

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state Department of Revenue says taxable retail sales in Washington dropped to $26.4 billion in the third quarter of this year. That’s a 11.6 percent drop from the same period last year.

The state said Thursday that the July-through-September sales decline is the third largest one on record. Sales dropped 14 percent during the second quarter of 2009 and 12.8 percent during the first quarter of 2009.

Two of the biggest drops were in retail sales from construction, down 25 percent, and miscellaneous retailers, down 19.1 percent.