Retail Trade--Estimated Purchases, Estimated Gross Margin, and Gross Margin as a Percent of Sales, by Kind of Business statistics


	1987	Purchases							Purchases		Gross margin							Gross margin		Gross margin							Gross margin
	SIC	(bil. dol.)							(bil. dol.)		(bil. dol)							(bil. dol)		as percent of sales							as percent of sales
Kind of Business	code ¹
		1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998

Total	(X)	1,259	1,259	1,331	1,425	1,546	1,617	1,717	1,789	1,878	589	600	629	674	727	758	795	831	882	31.9	32.3	32.2	32.4	32.3	32.1	31.8	31.8	32.1
Excluding automotive group	(X)	942	955	996	1,046	1,111	1,154	1,216	1,264	1,319	519	534	554	588	626	650	684	720	768	35.6	36.0	35.8	36.2	36.3	36.2	36.1	36.4	37.0

Durable goods stores ²	(X)	492	476	519	583	664	707	762	796	853	177	172	188	210	240	252	263	272	291	26.5	26.5	26.8	26.9	27.1	26.6	25.8	25.6	25.0
Building materials group stores	52	65	63	70	77	87	92	98	104	114	30	28	32	35	40	40	43	45	51	31.2	30.9	31.3	31.5	31.9	30.9	30.8	30.6	31.3
Automotive dealers	55 exc. 554	317	304	335	379	435	463	501	525	559	70	66	76	86	101	108	111	111	114	18.0	17.8	18.6	18.7	19.2	19.2	18.2	17.5	17.0

Furniture group stores	57	57	57	61	67	76	83	88	90	96	35	35	37	41	46	46	47	50	55	38.1	38.4	37.9	38.4	38.3	36.0	35.2	35.7	36.6

Nondurable goods stores ²	(X)	767	784	812	842	882	909	955	993	1,025	412	428	441	463	486	506	533	558	591	35.0	35.5	35.3	35.6	35.7	35.9	35.9	36.1	36.7
General merchandise stores	53	149	159	174	186	202	212	222	233	248	66	71	75	81	83	88	91	96	102	30.6	31.3	30.6	30.7	29.4	29.6	29.2	29.2	29.3
Department stores	531	111	117	126	135	149	158	167	177	187	55	59	63	68	71	76	79	84	90	33.2	34.0	33.6	34.0	32.6	32.8	32.4	32.4	32.3
Food stores	54	277	279	281	285	294	297	305	311	318	93	96	96	98	101	107	110	113	118	25.3	25.5	25.5	25.6	25.7	26.5	26.5	26.6	27.2
Apparel and accessory stores	56	55	54	62	63	65	65	67	70	73	41	44	45	44	46	45	48	51	55	43.2	44.7	42.7	41.2	42.0	40.7	41.7	42.3	43.4

1 Based on 1987 Standard Industrial Classification code;see text, Section 13, Labor Force.
2 Includes kinds of business not shown separately.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau,Current Business Reports, Annual Benchmark Report for Retail Trade,January 1988 Through December 1999, (BR/99-RV) and prior issues.

http://www.census.gov/econ/www/retmenu.html***************************************************************************************ANNUAL RETAIL TRADE SURVEY

PURPOSE

To provide detailed industry measures of retail company activities. TheUnited States Code, Title 13, authorizes this survey and provides formandatory responses.

COVERAGE

Retail companies with one or more establishments that sell merchandise andassociated services to final consumers (SIC Division G). In 1995, consumersspent more than an estimated $2.3 trillion at retail establishments.

CONTENT

Companies provide data on dollar value of retail sales, sales taxescollected, inventories, method-of-inventory valuation, cost of purchases,and account receivables balances.

FREQUENCY

Annually since 1951 (except 1954); reported data are for activity takingplace over the prior calendar year. Data collection begins the first weekafter the close of the year. Samples are re-selected every 5 years andupdated annually, most recently for the 1996 reference year.

METHODS

A mail-out/mail-back survey of a sub-sample of about 22,000 firms selectedfrom the monthly retail trade survey panels. The annual survey consists ofall monthly survey panel firms that had payrolls during the reference year,plus administrative data or imputed values to account for nonemployerretail businesses.

There are currently about 31,000 companies in the monthly sample. Themonthly sample consists of 3 rotating panels of about 6,100 single-unitfirms and 2,200 small multi-unit firms; and a special panel of largemulti-unit firms and other firms with large sales.

The annual survey uses 2 of the 3 rotating monthly panels, and the specialmonthly panel. Since 1977, the monthly retail trade survey has beenbenchmarked to the annual retail trade report. Inventories have beensimilarly benchmarked since 1951. Annual estimates are benchmarked to themost recent census of retail trade. In addition, benchmarking the annualsurvey to the monthly surveys greatly improved the quality of the monthlyestimates and allowed the sample to be reduced.

*DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sales. Sales include the following: merchandise sold for cash or credit atretail and wholesale by establishments primarily engaged in retail trade;amounts received from customers for layaway purchases; receipts from rentalor leasing of vehicles, equipment, instruments, tools, etc; receipts fordelivery, installation, maintenance, repair, alteration, storage, and otherservices; and receipts from gasoline, liquor, tobacco, and other excisetaxes which are paid by the manufacturer or wholesaler and passed along tothe retailer. Sales are net after deduction for refunds and allowances formerchandise returned by customers. Trade-in allowances and manufacturers'rebates are not deducted from total sales, however, rebates offered by theretailer are deducted. Total sales do not include commissions from vendingmachine operators or nonoperating income from such sources as investmentsand rental or sales or real estate.

Sales exclude sales and excise taxes collected directly from customers andpaid directly to a local, State, or Federal tax agency. Also excluded arereceipts from customers for carrying or other credit charges.

The sales data represent total sales and receipts of all establishmentsprimarily engaged in retail trade. They do not include sales at retail byman

1277. Retail Trade--Estimated Purchases, Estimated Gross Margin, and Gross Margin as a Percent of Sales, by Kind of Business