Taxable retail sales increased 8.5 percent to $5.29 billion during the calendar year 2014 compared to 2013, according to a report released this week from the Washington State Department of Revenue. Statewide, taxable retail sales grew 6.6 percent over the same time period.
Clark County’s retail trade, a subset of all sales that excludes non-retail sectors such as construction and services, rose 8.1 percent to $2.42 billion.
Within the retail sector:
- New and used car sales in Washington state rose 7.9 percent to $10.76 billion.
- Building materials, garden equipment and supplies increased 7.5 percent statewide to $5.35 billion.
- E-commerce and mail order in Washington state went up 19.8 percent to $2.09 billion.
While many industries saw gains in 2014, some showed slight declines. Statewide, department stores dropped 2.2 percent to $2.96 billion, and book stores and news dealers also dropped by 1.5 percent to $295 million.