CB-02-46- FOR WIRE TRANSMISSION 8:30 A.M. ET, Friday, April 12, 2002
The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March, adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $297.3 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent (±1.0%) from the previous month and up 3.6 percent (±1.7%) from March 2001. Total sales for the January through March period were up 3.2 percent (±0.3%) from the same period a year ago. The January to February 2002 percent change was revised from 0.3 percent (±1.0%) to 0.2 percent (±0.2%).
Retail trade sales were up 0.3 percent (±1.2%) from February and were 3.4 percent (±1.7%) above last year. Electronics and appliance stores were up 9.5 percent (±2.6%) from March 2001 and sales of health and personal care stores were up 7.2 percent (±3.6%) from last year. Sales of gasoline stations decreased 6.3 percent (±4.8%) from March a year ago.
The advance estimates are based on a small subsample of the Bureau's full retail and food services sample. Estimates from the advance and the subsequent full survey can differ because of the earlier reporting in the advance and because of sampling variability present in both surveys. For an explanation of the measures of sampling variability included in this report, please see the Reliability of Estimates section at the end of this page.
Percent Change in Retail and Food Services Sales
(Data adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes)
This report is available the day of issue through the Department of Commerce's online Economic Bulletin Board. For information call(202) 482-1986.
TABLE 1A. ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--March 2002
Adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Millions of dollars) 2002 2002 2002 2001 2001 NAICS Kind of Business Mar Feb Jan Code adv. prel. final Mar(r) Feb(r) Retail & food services, total.................... 297,342 296,705 296,099 287,134 287,977 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 224,445 223,520 223,452 216,795 217,497 Retail ....................................... 269,701 268,961 268,511 260,753 261,759 GAFO............................................. (*) 78,289 78,030 73,605 74,088 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 72,897 73,185 72,647 70,339 70,480 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 66,794 67,004 66,527 64,274 64,425 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 7,984 7,997 7,914 7,606 7,638 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 7,755 7,720 7,647 7,085 7,127 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) 5,562 5,475 5,036 5,048 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) 2,158 2,172 2,049 2,079 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 25,065 24,888 24,947 24,102 23,940 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) 22,022 22,065 20,805 20,688 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 41,015 40,876 40,911 39,724 39,811 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 37,090 36,887 36,984 35,921 36,030 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) 2,603 2,573 2,471 2,474 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 15,098 15,139 15,114 14,081 13,922 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) 13,116 13,108 12,066 11,998 447 Gasoline stations................................ 18,698 18,005 18,105 19,961 20,704 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 14,737 14,776 14,699 14,175 14,460 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) 852 839 898 902 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) 2,797 2,740 2,674 2,788 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) 1,887 1,853 1,812 1,808 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 7,644 7,474 7,740 7,065 7,102 452 General merchandise stores....................... 36,513 36,597 36,380 34,057 34,185 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 20,567 20,638 20,593 19,343 19,571 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) 15,959 15,787 14,714 14,614 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) 12,601 12,401 11,674 11,569 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) 3,358 3,386 3,040 3,045 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 9,239 9,365 9,364 9,372 9,104 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 13,056 12,939 13,043 13,186 13,286 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) 9,269 9,364 8,999 8,895 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 27,641 27,744 27,588 26,381 26,218 (*) Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these business classifications. (NA) Not available. (r) Revised.TABLE 1B. ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--March 2002
Not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Millions of dollars) 3 month total % Chg. 2002 2002 2002 2001 2001 NAICS Kind of Business 2002 from Mar Feb Jan Code 2001 adv. prel. final Mar Feb Retail & food services, total.................... 827,544 2.9 297,506 263,769 266,269 290,332 255,884 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 617,576 3.1 221,391 195,547 200,638 213,877 190,196 Retail ....................................... 748,307 2.7 269,063 238,328 240,916 263,054 231,868 GAFO............................................. (*) (*) (*) 65,620 64,974 69,364 61,876 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 209,968 2.3 76,115 68,222 65,631 76,455 65,688 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 192,857 2.4 70,067 62,783 60,007 70,251 60,366 44111 New car dealers................................ (*) (*) (*) 53,292 51,714 59,966 52,019 4413 Auto parts, acc. & tire stores.................. (*) (*) (*) 5,439 5,624 6,204 5,322 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 22,215 3.2 7,840 7,173 7,202 7,621 6,836 4421 Furniture stores................................ (*) (*) (*) 4,094 4,055 4,250 3,842 4422 Home furnishings stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 3,079 3,147 3,371 2,994 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 21,817 7.4 7,408 7,016 7,393 6,923 6,472 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) (*) (*) 4,972 5,141 4,739 4,503 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,044 2,252 2,184 1,969 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 64,916 3.4 23,850 20,200 20,866 23,710 19,411 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) (*) (*) 17,970 18,601 20,139 16,881 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 117,750 3.9 41,457 36,905 39,388 39,757 35,911 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 107,198 3.8 37,646 33,493 36,059 36,137 32,679 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,192 2,192 2,365 2,083 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 44,881 8.8 15,506 14,397 14,978 14,363 13,212 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) (*) (*) 12,408 13,029 12,235 11,350 447 Gasoline stations................................ 50,318 -11.4 18,305 15,592 16,421 19,741 17,971 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 36,749 4.8 14,271 11,952 10,526 13,242 11,625 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) (*) (*) 662 670 810 696 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 2,243 2,006 2,744 2,211 44814 Family clothing stores.......................... (*) (*) (*) 3,627 3,396 4,391 3,598 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) (*) (*) 1,547 1,377 1,801 1,477 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 20,027 8.8 7,002 5,948 7,077 6,559 5,666 452 General merchandise stores....................... 94,165 8.6 34,906 30,046 29,213 31,537 27,929 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 52,541 7.9 19,789 16,675 16,077 17,790 15,749 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (*) (*) 16,976 16,370 18,143 16,061 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) (*) (*) 13,371 13,136 13,747 12,180 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) (*) (*) 10,560 10,380 10,892 9,625 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) (*) (*) 2,811 2,756 2,855 2,555 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 26,289 1.5 8,922 8,746 8,621 9,215 8,493 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 39,212 -5.0 13,481 12,131 13,600 13,931 12,654 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) (*) (*) 8,138 9,064 9,125 7,792 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 79,237 5.0 28,443 25,441 25,353 27,278 24,016 (*) Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these business classifications. (r) Revised.TABLE 2. PERCENT CHANGE IN ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--March 2002
Adjusted for seasonal variatons, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Percent Change) Mar Feb 2002 2002 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Feb Mar Jan Feb Code 2002 2001 2002 2001 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +0.2 +3.6 +0.2 +3.0 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... +0.4 +3.5 0.0 +2.8 Retail .................................. +0.3 +3.4 +0.2 +2.8 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... -0.4 +3.6 +0.7 +3.8 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers............... -0.3 +3.9 +0.7 +4.0 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. -0.2 +5.0 +1.0 +4.7 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +0.5 +9.5 +1.0 +8.3 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers +0.7 +4.0 -0.2 +4.0 445 Food & beverage stores........................... +0.3 +3.2 -0.1 +2.7 4451 Grocery stores.................................. +0.6 +3.3 -0.3 +2.4 446 Health & personal care stores.................... -0.3 +7.2 +0.2 +8.7 447 Gasoline stations................................ +3.8 -6.3 -0.6 -13.0 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... -0.3 +4.0 +0.5 +2.2 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ +2.3 +8.2 -3.4 +5.2 452 General merchandise stores....................... -0.2 +7.2 +0.6 +7.1 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... -0.3 +6.3 +0.2 +5.5 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... -1.3 -1.4 0.0 +2.9 454 Nonstore retailers............................... +0.9 -1.0 -0.8 -2.6 722 Food services & drinking places.................. -0.4 +4.8 +0.6 +5.8 Not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Percent Change) Mar Feb 2002 2002 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Feb Mar Jan Feb Code 2002 2001 2002 2001 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +12.8 +2.5 -0.9 +3.1 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... +13.2 +3.5 -2.5 +2.8 Retail .................................. +12.9 +2.3 -1.1 +2.8 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... +11.6 -0.4 +3.9 +3.9 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................ +11.6 -0.3 +4.6 +4.0 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. +9.3 +2.9 -0.4 +4.9 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +5.6 +7.0 -5.1 +8.4 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers +18.1 +0.6 -3.2 +4.1 445 Food & beverage stores........................... +12.3 +4.3 -6.3 +2.8 4451 Grocery stores.................................. +12.4 +4.2 -7.1 +2.5 446 Health & personal care stores.................... +7.7 +8.0 -3.9 +9.0 447 Gasoline stations................................ +17.4 -7.3 -5.0 -13.2 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... +19.4 +7.8 +13.5 +2.8 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ +17.7 +6.8 -16.0 +5.0 452 General merchandise stores....................... +16.2 +10.7 +2.9 +7.6 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... +18.7 +11.2 +3.7 +5.9 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... +2.0 -3.2 +1.4 +3.0 454 Nonstore retailers............................... +11.1 -3.2 -10.8 -4.1 722 Food services & drinking places.................. +11.8 +4.3 +0.3 +5.9 (NA) Not Available. SOURCE:Advance Monthly Sales for Retail Trade and Food Services--MARCH 2002 (Press Release available without charge from Public Information Office, Bureau of the Census Washington, D.C. 20233). Survey methodology and measures of sampling variability are documented in the Advance Press Release. Questions concerning this report should be directed to Mr. Scott Scheleur (301) 457-2713/2666.
The Advance estimates are based on a small subsample of the Bureau’s full retail sales sample. Estimates from the Advance and the subsequent full survey can differ because of the earlier reporting in the Advance and because of sampling variability present in each survey. The margin of sampling error, as used on page 1, gives a range about the estimate which is a 90% confidence interval. If, for example, the trend estimate is +1.2% and the standard error is 0.9%, then the margin of sampling error is ±1.65 x 0.9% or ±1.5%, and the 90% confidence interval is -0.3% to +2.7%. If the interval contains 0, it is uncertain whether there was an increase or decrease. For monthly level, the coefficient of variation (CV) is given. The resulting confidence interval is the estimated value ± 1.65 × CV × (the estimated value). Estimates of sampling variability are given in Table 3. Estimates from the Advance and the full survey are subject to nonsampling errors. Such errors can occur because of nonresponse, insufficient coverage of the universe of retail businesses, and response errors. Additionally, estimates of sales prior to March 2001 have been restated from SIC-based estimates. The restatement methodology may have introduced additional nonsampling error. Precautionary steps are taken to minimize nonsampling errors, but their magnitude is not directly measured. Preliminary estimates for the current month and final estimates for the previous month based on the full sample will be published next month in the Monthly Retail Trade Report. This report will provide sales estimates in greater detail and additional measures of sampling variability. It will also present a description of revisions, the techniques used in developing the estimates, and an explanation of confidence intervals and sampling variability (Appendix B, Reliability of Estimates).
4th Quarter 2001 Retail E-Commerce Sales
Source: U. S. Census Bureau
Service Sector Statistics Division
