[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6303-6305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3075]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U. S. C. 3506
(c)(2) (A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 12, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions
should be directed to Nancy Piesto, Bureau of the Census, Room 2654-FOB
3, Washington, DC 20233-6500, (301) 457-2708.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey provides estimates of
monthly sales and end-of-month merchandise inventories of retail stores
in the United States by selected kinds of business. The Bureau of
Economic Analysis (BEA) uses this information to prepare the National
Income and Products Accounts and to benchmark the annual input-output
tables.
[[Page 6304]]
Statistics provided from the Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey
are used to calculate the gross domestic product (GDP).
Estimates produced from the Current Retail Sales and Inventory
Survey are based on a probability sample. The sample design consists of
one fixed panel where all cases are requested to report sales and/or
inventories each month.
We currently publish retail sales and inventory estimates on the
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis. Starting in the spring
of 2001, we will publish on the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS). The SIC definition of retail trade and the NAICS
definition of retail trade are substantially different. The SIC defines
retailers as establishments engaged in selling merchandise for personal
or household consumption and rendering services incidental to the sale
of the goods. Restaurants are included in retail trade under the SIC,
but will move to the Accommodation and Food Services sector under
NAICS. NAICS distinguishes retailers from wholesalers based on what the
establishment does rather than to whom the establishment sells.
Retailers are defined as those establishments that sell merchandise and
attract customers using methods such as advertising, point-of-sale
location, and display of merchandise. A store retailer has a selling
place open to the public, merchandise on display or available through
sales clerks, facilities for making cash or credit card transactions,
and service provided to retail customers.
NAICS provides a better way to classify individual businesses, and
will be widely adopted throughout both the public and private sectors.
NAICS will change the information that is currently available with
reclassifications, definitional changes, and movement of activities in
or out of retail trade. NAICS is more relevant as it identifies more
industries that contribute to today's growing economy. NAICS was
developed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in order to produce
comparable data between neighboring countries.
Changes From SIC to NAICS--Sales
Conversion from the SIC to NAICS will significantly affect selected
industries and retail trade in total. For example:
Restaurants move from retail trade to a new sector-
Accommodation and Food Services. We will continue to collect monthly
sales on restaurants and publish a separate Food Services Total.
Retail Bakeries (without seating) will move to the
manufacturing sector.
Pawn Shops will move to the finance sector.
The Building Materials, SIC 52, currently includes mobile
home dealers. Under NAICS , mobile home dealers will be included in
Miscellaneous Store Retailers.
Computer and Software Stores will be recognized as
separate industries under NAICS because of growing interest among
public and private data users.
The Durable and Nondurable aggregate totals will be
eliminated from publication under NAICS.
Changes From SIC to NAICS--Inventories
Under NAICS, we will discontinue collecting inventories
from the food service subsector. We will collect and publish
inventories only for the Retail Sector.
Under NAICS, all auxiliary facilities such as warehouses
are classified based on the primary activity. Under SIC, warehouses are
classified based on their industry classification of the establishments
they primarily serve. We will continue to publish the warehouse
inventory in its respective kind-of-business.
The Durables and Nondurable aggregate totals will be
eliminated from publication under NAICS.
In addition to changes concerning the conversion from SIC to NAICS,
the Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey is converting its monthly
pin fed report forms to a print-on demand system referred to as
DocuPrint. The key benefit of this system is its ability to print a
specific document or set of related documents (when requested), and
overlay variable data, bar code and address label in predetermined
locations throughout the document(s), all in one pass through the
printer. This process reduces the time and cost of preparing mailout
packages that contain unique variable data, while improving the look
and quality of the products being produced.
DocuPrint allows us to tailor survey questions to a specific
respondent. For example, sales only reporters will now only see sales
questions, and inventory only respondents will only see inventory
questions. Company and EIN reporters will use the same report form.
DocuPrint will print (overlay) the appropriate EIN or Company question.
The migration to DocuPrint will split the four forms currently used
into seven in order to accommodate the sales only and inventory only
respondents. The numbering system will change as follows as a result of
this migration:
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Old New Description
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B-101(97)............................... B-101(97)S Department Stores-Sales Only.
B-101(97)B Department Stores-Inventory
Only.
B-111(97)............................... B-111(97)S Non Department Stores-Sales
Only.
B-111(97)B Non Department Stores-Sales and
Inventory.
B-111(97)L Department and Non Department
Stores-Sales and Inventory/
LIFO.
B-113(97)I Department and Non Department
Stores-Inventory Only.
B-113(97)L Department and Non Department
Stores-Inventory/LIFO.
B-102(97)............................... ..................................... Form eliminated-DocuPrint will
print the appropriate EI/
Company question on B-101.
B-112(97)............................... ..................................... Form eliminated-DocuPrint will
print the appropriate EI/
Company question on B-111.
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II. Method of Collection
We collect this information by mail, fax, and telephone follow-up.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0607-0717.
Form Number: B-101(97)S, B-101(97)B, B-111(97)S, B-111(97)B, B-
111(97)L, B-113(97)I, and B-113(97)L.
Type of Review: Regular Submission.
Affected Public: Retail firms in the United States.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
10 ,500 under NAICS. 12,022 under SIC.
Estimated Time Per Response: 7.8 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 16,380 hours under NAICS.
18,754 hours under SIC.
[[Page 6305]]
Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondents for fiscal
year 1999 is estimated to be $313,754 based on the median hourly salary
of $16.73 for accountants and auditors. (Occupational Employment
Statistics-Bureau of Labor Statistics ``1996 National Occupational
Employment and Wage Data Professional, Paraprofessional, and Technical
Occupations,'' $16.73 represents the median hourly wage of the full-
time wage and salary earnings of accountants and auditors) http://
stats.bls.gov/oes/national/oes__prof.htm.
Respondent's Obligation: The collection of information is
voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: February 3, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-3075 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
