The state’s taxable retail sales totals grew to $29.7 billion in the first quarter of 2015 (Jan. 1 through March 31), recording a 9 percent increase over the same period in 2014. Retail trade, a subset of total taxable retail sales, rose 7.5 percent to $13.3 billion.

The results come from a quarterly report released by the Washington State Department of Revenue. The report compares taxable retail sales figures from the first quarters of 2015 to 2014, which equalizes any seasonal effects of consumer purchasing habits.

Taxable sales were up in many of the retail trade sectors: Health and drug store sales by 20.3 percent; E-commerce and mail orders by 19.2 percent; Building and garden supply stores by 16.7 percent; and New and used vehicles by 11.6 percent.

The mining, construction and real estate industries all saw first quarter gains, as well.