CB-03-02FOR WIRE TRANSMISSION 8:30 A.M. ET, Tuesday, January 14, 2003
The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for December, adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $308.0 billion, up 1.2 percent (±1.0%) from the previous month and up 4.6 percent (±1.1%) from December 2001. Total sales for the October through December 2002 period were up 2.1 percent (±0.5%) from the same period a year ago. Total sales for the 12 months of 2002 were up 3.4 percent (±0.7%) from 2001. The October to November 2002 percent change was revised from +0.4 percent (±1.0%) to +0.9 percent (±0.2%).
Retail trade sales were up 1.3 percent (±1.1%) from November and were 4.7 percent (±1.1%) above last year. Gasoline stations sales were up 16.6 percent (±2.1%) from last year and sales of nonstore retailers were up 13.8 percent (±6.7%) from December 2001.
The scheduled release dates for 2003 are as follows: January 14, February 13, March 13, April 11, May 14, June 12, July 15, August 13, September 12, October 15, November 14, December 11.
The advance estimates are based on a subsample of the Bureau's full retail and food services sample. A stratified random sampling method is used to select approximately 5,000 retail and food services firms whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the complete universe of over three million retail and food services firms. Responding firms account for approximately 65% of the MARTS dollar volume estimate. 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--December 2002
Data 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 Dec Nov Oct Code adv. prel. final Dec(r) Nov(r) Retail & food services, total.................... 307,970 304,198 301,551 294,328 296,278 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 231,207 231,096 230,333 221,574 220,423 Retail ....................................... 279,015 275,565 273,236 266,434 269,532 GAFO............................................. (*) 80,184 80,616 78,705 77,549 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 76,763 73,102 71,218 72,754 75,855 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 70,647 66,979 65,074 66,653 69,900 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 8,093 8,092 7,968 7,838 7,754 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 7,900 7,852 7,843 7,810 7,763 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) 5,621 5,619 5,526 5,456 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) 2,231 2,224 2,284 2,307 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 26,039 26,517 26,314 24,866 24,937 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) 23,027 22,882 21,753 21,729 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 40,174 40,580 40,170 40,094 39,932 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 35,961 36,467 36,078 35,996 35,926 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) 2,617 2,623 2,669 2,609 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 15,628 15,607 15,576 14,631 14,668 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) 13,231 13,175 11,966 12,334 447 Gasoline stations................................ 20,399 20,251 20,074 17,488 18,018 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 14,797 14,680 14,805 14,377 13,976 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) 847 849 877 870 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) 2,834 2,800 2,814 2,758 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) 1,812 1,811 1,820 1,790 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 7,464 7,528 7,493 7,343 7,458 452 General merchandise stores....................... 38,453 38,344 38,684 37,413 36,969 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 18,258 18,304 18,957 19,285 19,265 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) 20,040 19,727 18,128 17,704 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) 16,776 16,448 14,938 14,609 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) 3,264 3,279 3,190 3,095 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 9,124 9,249 9,472 9,356 9,387 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 14,181 13,763 13,619 12,464 12,815 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) 9,488 9,426 8,686 8,950 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 28,955 28,633 28,315 27,894 26,746 (*) 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--December 2002
Data not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, trading-day differences, and price changes. (In Millions of dollars and Annual Percent Change) 12 month total % Chg. 2002 2002 2002 2001 2001 NAICS Kind of Business 2002 from Dec Nov Oct Code 2001 adv. prel. final Dec Nov Retail & food services, total.................... 3,605,909 3.4 352,136 303,414 300,597 337,272 297,547 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 2,731,354 3.8 282,687 238,004 229,400 272,732 228,585 Retail ....................................... 3,267,458 3.1 323,268 275,468 272,084 309,239 271,630 GAFO............................................. (*) (*) (*) 89,537 77,046 123,762 87,162 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 874,555 2.0 69,449 65,410 71,197 64,540 68,962 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 800,707 2.0 63,865 59,544 64,684 59,055 63,120 44111 New car dealers................................ (*) (*) (*) 50,508 55,090 51,142 54,736 4413 Auto parts, acc. & tire stores.................. (*) (*) (*) 5,866 6,513 5,485 5,842 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 95,313 4.2 9,631 8,934 7,992 9,319 8,522 4421 Furniture stores................................ (*) (*) (*) 4,812 4,303 4,811 4,639 4422 Home furnishings stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 4,122 3,689 4,508 3,883 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 93,225 6.3 12,607 8,563 7,270 12,387 8,405 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) (*) (*) 6,386 5,057 9,406 6,149 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,177 2,213 2,981 2,256 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 313,838 5.4 22,596 24,744 27,785 21,384 23,720 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) (*) (*) 22,060 24,713 19,034 21,186 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 481,038 1.8 43,928 41,075 39,928 44,358 40,185 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 431,903 1.5 38,047 36,832 36,006 38,624 36,070 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,769 2,560 3,689 2,745 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 183,997 8.0 17,707 15,186 15,576 16,606 14,360 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) (*) (*) 12,927 13,175 13,797 12,124 447 Gasoline stations................................ 232,849 -2.0 19,359 19,340 20,596 16,701 17,315 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 174,270 3.0 25,658 16,084 14,152 24,908 15,501 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) (*) (*) 969 852 1,473 994 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 2,993 2,766 4,077 2,921 44814 Family clothing stores.......................... (*) (*) (*) 6,078 5,250 8,393 5,642 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) (*) (*) 1,770 1,668 2,360 1,745 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 88,914 4.9 13,249 8,597 6,676 13,122 8,383 452 General merchandise stores....................... 456,128 6.0 58,883 43,505 37,170 58,174 42,479 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 225,757 -1.9 31,738 21,590 17,956 33,323 23,194 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (*) (*) 21,993 18,280 33,901 23,637 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) (*) (*) 21,915 19,214 24,851 19,285 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) (*) (*) 18,236 15,971 20,002 15,763 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) (*) (*) 3,679 3,243 4,849 3,522 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 112,287 0.2 11,393 9,250 9,572 11,809 9,604 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 161,044 3.0 18,808 14,780 14,170 15,931 14,194 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) (*) (*) 10,351 9,812 11,709 10,122 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 338,451 5.5 28,868 27,946 28,513 28,033 25,917 (*) 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--December 2002
Data adjusted for seasonal variatons, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Percent Change) Dec Nov 2002 2002 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Nov Dec Oct Nov Code 2002 2001 2002 2001 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +1.2 +4.6 +0.9 +2.7 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... 0.0 +4.3 +0.3 +4.8 Retail .................................. +1.3 +4.7 +0.9 +2.2 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... +5.0 +5.5 +2.6 -3.6 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers............... +5.5 +6.0 +2.9 -4.2 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 0.0 +3.3 +1.6 +4.4 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +0.6 +1.2 +0.1 +1.1 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers -1.8 +4.7 +0.8 +6.3 445 Food & beverage stores........................... -1.0 +0.2 +1.0 +1.6 4451 Grocery stores.................................. -1.4 -0.1 +1.1 +1.5 446 Health & personal care stores.................... +0.1 +6.8 +0.2 +6.4 447 Gasoline stations................................ +0.7 +16.6 +0.9 +12.4 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... +0.8 +2.9 -0.8 +5.0 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ -0.9 +1.6 +0.5 +0.9 452 General merchandise stores....................... +0.3 +2.8 -0.9 +3.7 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... -0.3 -5.3 -3.4 -5.0 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... -1.4 -2.5 -2.4 -1.5 454 Nonstore retailers............................... +3.0 +13.8 +1.1 +7.4 722 Food services & drinking places.................. +1.1 +3.8 +1.1 +7.1 Data not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, trading-day differences, and price changes. (Percent Change) Dec Nov 2002 2002 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Nov Dec Oct Nov Code 2002 2001 2002 2001 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +16.1 +4.4 +0.9 +2.0 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... +18.8 +3.7 +3.8 +4.1 Retail .................................. +17.4 +4.5 +1.2 +1.4 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... +6.2 +7.6 -8.1 -5.2 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................ +7.3 +8.1 -7.9 -5.7 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. +7.8 +3.3 +11.8 +4.8 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +47.2 +1.8 +17.8 +1.9 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers -8.7 +5.7 -10.9 +4.3 445 Food & beverage stores........................... +6.9 -1.0 +2.9 +2.2 4451 Grocery stores.................................. +3.3 -1.5 +2.3 +2.1 446 Health & personal care stores.................... +16.6 +6.6 -2.5 +5.8 447 Gasoline stations................................ +0.1 +15.9 -6.1 +11.7 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... +59.5 +3.0 +13.7 +3.8 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ +54.1 +1.0 +28.8 +2.6 452 General merchandise stores....................... +35.3 +1.2 +17.0 +2.4 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... +47.0 -4.8 +20.2 -6.9 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... +23.2 -3.5 -3.4 -3.7 454 Nonstore retailers............................... +27.3 +18.1 +4.3 +4.1 722 Food services & drinking places.................. +3.3 +3.0 -2.0 +7.8 (NA) Not Available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Sales for Retail Trade and Food Services--DECEMBER 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) 763-2713.
Source of Data: The Census Bureau conducts the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey each month to provide an early indication of sales of retail and food service companies. The Advance Monthly Retail Survey is a voluntary survey of a sub-sample of about 5,000 firms selected from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey. Firms responding to this survey account for approximately 65% of the dollar volume estimate. Reliability of Estimates: The reliability of the estimates is a function of sampling and nonsampling errors. The margin of sampling error, as included 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 x CV x (the estimated value). Estimates of sampling variability are given in Table 3. Nonsampling error, on the other hand, can occur because of nonresponse, insufficient coverage of the universe of retail businesses, and response errors. Although not directly measured, precautionary steps are taken to minimize nonsampling error. Additional survey information is available at www.census.gov/svsd/www/advtable.html.
3rd Quarter 2002 Retail E-Commerce Sales
Source: U. S. Census Bureau
Service Sector Statistics Division
