2016-00507. Annual Retail Trade Survey

AGENCY:

Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of determination.

SUMMARY:

The United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the 2015 Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS). ARTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Retail Trade and/or Accommodation and Food Services sectors as defined by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Through this survey, the Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, annual e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States, total operating expenses, purchases, accounts receivables, and, for selected industries, merchandise line sales. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business needs such as economic and market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand. The Census Bureau conducts the ARTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical data on retail trade, and accommodation and food services activity annually.

ADDRESSES:

The Census Bureau will provide electronic worksheets to businesses included in the survey. Additional copies are available upon written request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Chris Savage, Economy-Wide Statistics Division, at [phone] or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Sections 182, 224, and 225 of Title 13 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) authorize the Census Bureau to take surveys that are necessary to produce current data on the subjects covered by the major censuses. As part of this authorization, the Census Bureau conducts the ARTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical data on retail trade, and accommodation and food services activity for the period between economic censuses. ARTS is a continuation of similar retail trade surveys conducted each year since 1951 (except 1954). ARTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Retail Trade and/or Accommodation and Food Services sectors as defined by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). ARTS provides, on a comparable classification basis, annual sales, annual e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States, total operating expenses, purchases, accounts receivables, and, for selected industries, merchandise line sales for 2015. The Census Bureau has determined that the conduct of this survey is necessary because these data are not available publicly on a timely basis from any other sources.

Firms are selected for the ARTS survey using a stratified random sample based on industry groupings and annual sales size. We will provide electronic worksheets to the firms covered by this survey in March 2016, and will require their responses within 40 days after receipt. Firms' responses to the ARTS survey are required by law (Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 182, 224, and 225). The sample of firms selected will provide, with measurable reliability, statistics on annual sales, annual e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States, total operating expenses, purchases, accounts receivables, and, for selected industries, merchandise line sales for 2015.

The data collected in this survey will be similar to that collected in the past and within the general scope and nature of those inquiries covered in the economic census. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business needs including economic and market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, OMB has approved the Annual Retail Trade Survey under OMB Control Number 0607-0013.

Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that an annual survey be conducted for the purpose of collecting these data.

John H. Thompson,

Director, Bureau of the Census.