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Retail sales up 33.6% in second quarter 2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Dec. 7, 2021 –– The second quarter of 2021 saw a sizable increase in taxable retail sales across the state over second quarter 2020, reaching $53.7 billion, thanks to strong sales in new and used automobiles and increasing construction activity.

Retail trade, a subset of all taxable retail sales in the state, also increased 27% for a total of $24.3 billion. Retail trade includes sales of items such as clothing, furniture and automobiles, but excludes other industries, such as services and construction.

Taxable retail sales are transactions subject to the retail sales tax, including sales by retailers, the construction industry, manufacturing and other sectors.

These figures are part of a quarterly report released today by the Washington State Department of Revenue. The taxable retail sales figures compare the same quarter year-to-year to equalize any seasonal effects that would influence consumer and business spending.

Here are some sectors that saw increases in taxable retail sales during the second quarter 2021 compared to the same period (April-June) in 2020:

 

  • Construction increased 38% to $10.9 billion.
  • Taxable retail sales reported by new and used auto dealers rose 49.7% to $4.4 billion.
  • Building materials, garden equipment and supplies increased 17% to $3.1 billion.
  • Taxable retail sales in general merchandise stores grew by 14.5% to $3.3 billion.
  • Apparel and Accessories sales increased by 122.5% to $1.1 billion.

 

The majority of sectors saw healthy second quarter taxable retail sales increases from the previous year’s second quarter.

See second quarter 2021 taxable retail sales and retail trade sales by industry.

Find out more information about taxable retail sales in:

Counties

Cities

Some highlights of 10 counties and cities in the state:

County

Taxable retail sales

Percent change

Retail trade

Percent change

King

  $19.6 billion

    35.7

$7.4 billion

  28.1

Pierce

  $  6.0 billion

    33.2

$3.1 billion

  29.5

Snohomish

  $  5.1 billion

    34.0

$2.7 billion

  32.2

Spokane

  $  3.6 billion

    30.9

$1.6 billion

  24.4

Clark

  $  2.8 billion

    35.7

$1.9 billion

  27.7

Thurston

  $  1.9 billion

    27.4

$1.0 billion

  25.0

Kitsap

  $  1.6 billion

    28.2

$844 million

  24.1

Benton

  $  1.5 billion

    38.5

$668 million

  30.2

Yakima

  $  1.3 billion

    25.2

$749 million

  23.8

Whatcom

  $  1.4 billion

    37.4

$657 million

  26.6

 

City

Taxable retail sales

Percent change

Retail trade

Percent change

Seattle

$7.5 billion

     35.8

$2.3 billion

 22.6

Bellevue

$2.3 billion

     55.3

$970 million

 60.5

Tacoma

$1.7 billion

     33.2

$870 million

 33.0

Spokane City

$1.7 billion

     33.0

$821 million

 24.8

Vancouver

$1.5 billion

     40.9

$703 million

 37.2

Everett

$910 million

     35.4

$440 million

 30.7

Renton

$918 million

     42.0

$496 million

 43.0

Puyallup

$800 million

     37.3

$536 million

 36.2

Kennewick

$712 million

     38.1

$425 million

 39.3

Pasco

$515 million

     21.8

$297 million

 20.9

 

Compare taxable retail sales numbers for first quarter 2021 and previous years by checking out the “Retail sales for cities and counties” page on our website.

Check Revenue’s Statistics and Reports page for additional detail about taxable retail sales.

Understanding how businesses are classified

Revenue uses business tax return data to create this quarterly report. Businesses are categorized under the U.S. Census Bureau’s classification system based on their primary taxable activity. The North American Industry Classification System – or NAICS – is the same method federal statistical agencies use for the purpose of analyzing economic data.

 

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