• General FAQs
• Sample Revision FAQs

Is this survey mandatory?

Yes, your response is required by law. Title 13 United States Code, Sections 131 and 182, authorizes this collection. Sections 224 and 225 require your response. The U.S. Census Bureau is required by Section 9 of the same law to keep your information confidential and can use your responses only to produce statistics. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify your business, organization, or institution. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data.

I did not receive a letter with my authentication code to complete the Annual Retail Trade Survey.

Your company may have been selected to participate in the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES) in lieu of the Annual Retail Trade Survey. The AIES will replace the Annual Retail Trade Survey in 2024. Prior to full implementation, the U.S. Census Bureau will be collecting the AIES in 2023, with a smaller test in the spring of 2023 and a larger-scale data collection in the summer of 2023. These two collection efforts will stand in place of most of the current annual surveys for those companies sampled into the AIES in 2023. For more information regarding the AIES, please visit census.gov/aies. If you would like confirmation that your company has been selected to complete the AIES in lieu of the Annual Retail Trade Survey, please email emd.aies.help@census.gov.

What is the penalty for not responding?

Title 13 (Section 224) and the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (18, U.S.C. 3559 and 3571) allow for possible prosecution of responsible officials and penalties up to $5,000 (and a response is still required). 

Who uses the statistics produced from data collected in the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)?

• The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) uses the data for the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) estimates and in developing the input-output tables.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the data as input for its Producer Price Index (PPI) and in developing productivity measurements.
• Trade and professional organizations use the data to analyze industry trends, benchmark their own statistical programs, develop forecasts, and evaluate regulatory requirements.
• The media use ARTS data for news reports and background information.
• Private businesses use the data to measure market share, analyze business potential, and plan investments.

What is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. For additional information, please see the Census Bureau’s NAICS page.

What kinds of businesses are included in the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)?

ARTS covers firms classified in the Retail Trade sector (as defined by the North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS). Retail Trade (NAICS sectors 44-45) includes establishments engaged in selling merchandise in small quantities to the general public, usually without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise.

This sector consists of two main types of establishments: store and nonstore retailers.

Store retailers operate fixed point-of-sale locations, located and designed to attract a high volume of walk-in customers. They have extensive displays of merchandise, use mass media advertising to attract customers, and typically sell merchandise to the general public for personal or household use. Some store retailers (e.g., new automobile dealers) also provide after-sales services, such as repair and installation services.

Nonstore retailers also serve the general public, but their retailing methods are different than those employed by store retailers. These establishments reach customers and market merchandise through things like paper and electronic catalogs, door-to-door solicitation, in-home demonstration, infomercials, portable stalls, and vending machines.

For additional information, please see the Census Bureau’s NAICS page.

When are the results from the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) published?

ARTS estimates are published approximately 12 months after the reference year has concluded. For example, estimates for the 2021 reference year were released in December 2022.

Are the statistics produced from the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) available at subnational levels?

No, ARTS is designed to produce statistics at the national level only. Statistics at the state level and other more detailed geographic levels are produced every five years as part of the Economic Census (for certain data items). For more information, please visit the Economic Census page. Additionally, statistics on number of establishments, employment, and payroll at detailed geographic levels are released annually in the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns. For more information, please see the County Business Patterns page.

What is sampling variability, and how do I interpret it?

Because estimates are based on a sample rather than the entire population, the published estimates may differ from the actual, but unknown, population values. In principle, many random samples could be drawn, and each would yield a different result. This is because each sample would consist of different businesses (that would give different answers to the questions asked).

Common measures of the variability among these estimates are the sampling variance, the standard error, and the coefficient of variation (CV). The sampling variance is defined as the squared difference, averaged over all possible samples of the same size and design, between the estimator and its average value. The standard error is the square root of the sampling variance. The CV expresses the standard error as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers. For example, an estimate of 200 units that has an estimated standard error of 10 units has an estimated CV of 5 percent. The CV has the advantage of being a relative, rather than an absolute, measure and can be used to compare the reliability of one estimate to another.

What does the Census Bureau do to ensure the confidentiality of the respondents' data?

The Census Bureau takes its commitment to confidentiality very seriously. It constantly pursues new procedures, technologies, and methodologies to safeguard individual data. All individuals with access to person or business data are sworn by Title 13 to protect confidentiality and are subject to criminal penalties if they do not. Tight computer security and strict access and handling procedures are also followed.

What types of transactions fall under the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) definition of e-commerce sales?

E-commerce sales are sales of goods and services where the buyer places an order, or the price and terms of the sale are negotiated, over an Internet, mobile device (M-Commerce), extranet, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) network, electronic mail, or other comparable online system. Payment may or may not be made online.

Where are e-commerce sales tabulated for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers?

Generally, e-commerce divisions of brick-and-mortar companies would be included in electronic shopping and mail-order houses as long as they do not fulfill e-commerce orders from their stores. Companies would provide separate information to us for their brick-and-mortar stores and their e-commerce division. This is similar to how companies would split their information between two distinct brick-and-mortar divisions for ARTS. For example, a company that owns grocery stores and department stores would provide separate data for these segments.

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What is a sample revision, and why is it necessary?

A sample revision is the process used to redesign and reselect the samples for many of the Census Bureau’s surveys of the retail, wholesale, and service industries. This process is performed to:

• ensure each sample is representative of its target population.
• improve the efficiency of each sample.
• incorporate updates to the industry classification structure.
• expand industry coverage of the survey.
• update questions and instructions to obtain more accurate data.
• redistribute burden for small and medium-size businesses.

How often is a sample revision performed for the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)?

Sample revisions are performed approximately every five to seven years. During the period for which the samples are used, updates are made on a quarterly basis to reflect changes in the business universe. These updates are designed to account for new businesses (births) and businesses that discontinue operations (deaths). The samples are also updated to reflect mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, splits, and other changes to the business universe.

When will estimates from the new Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) sample be released?

Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) estimates will be based on the new sample starting with the release of the 2016 data (in March 2018).

What is the size of the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) sample?

The size of the new Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) sample is approximately 16,500 employer firms.

Are the estimates from different Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) samples comparable?

Yes, the estimates from different samples have been put on a comparable basis.

What is the impact of adopting the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) definitions for the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)?

Effective with the release of the 2016 Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS), annual Retail Trade estimates will be published on a 2012 NAICS basis. Time series affected by the definition changes will be restated to the beginning of the time series or as otherwise stated. For a complete list of the series that are restated, please review our Summary of Changes.

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