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RETAIL SALES

The 1998-99 Retail Industry Survey showed that retail sales of pre-recorded audio CDs totalled $838.9m in that year. Businesses predominantly involved in retailing recorded music accounted for almost 66% of sales, while department stores accounted for a further 21%. Retail sales of other pre-recorded audio media amounted to $118.8m.

13.1 RETAIL SALES OF PRE-RECORDED AUDIO MEDIA(a) - 1998-99
		Income	Percentage share
Industry		$m	%
Pre-recorded audio CDs
	Recorded music retailing	552.0	65.8
	Department stores	173.7	20.7
	Domestic appliance retailing	81.7	9.7
	Other retailers	31.5	3.8
	Total	838.9	100.0
Other pre-recorded audio media
	Recorded music retailing	18.0	15.2
	Retailing n.e.c.	**13.7	**11.5
	Other retailers	87.1	73.3
	Total	118.8	100.0
** estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use
(a) Excludes sales by retail businesses with no employees.
ABS, Retail Industry, Commodity Sales, 1998-99 (cat. no. 8624.0).

The ABS Retail Industry Survey also estimated that sales of musical instruments totalled $268.2m in 1998-99, although caution must be exercised with this figure as it has a high relative standard error.

See Chapter 3 for information on household expenditure on music.