The North Dakota tax commissioner reported that North Dakota’s taxable sales and purchases for the third quarter of 2020 are down 19.5% compared to last year.
The tax commissioner said the drop is due to economic disruptions related to the coronavirus and decreasing oil prices.
Minot’s taxable sales and purchases decreased 9.7%.
Bismarck’s decreased of 6.4%.
Williston’s decreased of 50.2%.
Despite the overall downward movement, the retail trade sector increased by $136M or nearly 8%.
State Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger said online purchases continue to impact retailers, as North Dakotans choose to make purchases remotely during the pandemic.
