The statewide taxable retail sales for the first quarter of 2013 (January 1 – March 31) were up 8.0 percent to $26 billion as compared to the same time period a year ago, according to a report released today by the Washington State Department of Revenue.

Retail trade reached $12 billion, an 8.2 percent increase from the first quarter of 2012. Retail trade is a subset of total taxable retail sales, which includes retailers but excludes industries such as services and construction.

Taxable sales rose in many of the state’s major industries:

• Construction increased to $4 billion (16.9 percent)

• Building materials, garden equipment and supplies grew to $1 billion (14.2 percent)

• New and used car sales hit $2.3 billion (11.6 percent)

• General merchandise stores tallied $2.3 billion (7.1 percent)

• Accommodations and food services reached $2.9 billion (4.7 percent)

Taxable retail sales have nearly recovered to first quarter 2008 levels, when they last topped $26 billion dollars.

First quarter 2013 results for the most populous counties

First quarter 2013 results for cities with the most sales

Complete tax statistics for taxable retail sales and retail trade by county and city as well as a breakdown of sales statewide by major industry are posted on Revenue’s website: http://dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/newsroom/2013/trs-q12013.aspx.

Results for all counties and selected cities, including sales breakdowns by industry sector are also online on the Quarterly Business Review page.