[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 60 (Thursday, March 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16263-16264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6260]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Monthly Retail Trade Survey.
    Form Number(s): SM-44(06)S, SM-44(06)SE, SM-44(06)SS, SM-44(06)B, 
SM-44(06)BE, SM-44(06)BS, SM-45(06)S, SM-45(06)SE, SM-45(06)SS, SM-
45(06)B, SM-45(06)BE, SM-45(06)BS, SM-72(06)S, and SM-20(06)I.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0717.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 12,196.
    Number of Respondents: 8,712.
    Average Hours Per Response: 7 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for approval of an extension to the 
Monthly Retail Trade Survey, previously referred to as the ``Current 
Retail Sales and Inventory Survey''. The Monthly Retail Trade Survey 
provides estimates of monthly retail sales, end-of-month merchandise 
inventories, and quarterly e-commerce sales of retailers in the United 
States by selected kinds of business. Also, it provides monthly sales 
of food service establishments.
    Sales and inventories data provide a current statistical picture of 
the retail portion of consumer activity. The sales and inventories 
estimates in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey measure current trends of 
economic activity that occur in the United States. Also, the estimates 
compiled from the survey provide valuable information for economic 
policy decisions and actions by the government and are widely used by 
private businesses, trade organizations, professional associations, and 
others for market research and analysis. The Bureau of Economic 
Analysis (BEA) uses these data in determining the consumption portion 
of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
    Retail and Food Services Sales during 2007 amounted to $4.5 
trillion. The estimates produced in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey are 
critical to the accurate measurement of total economic activity. The 
estimates of retail sales represent all operating receipts, including 
receipts from wholesale sales made at retail locations and services 
rendered as part of the sale of the goods, by businesses that primarily 
sell at retail. The sales estimates include sales made on credit as 
well on a cash basis, but exclude receipts from sales taxes and 
interest charges from credit sales. Also excluded is non-operating 
income from such services as investments and real estate.
    The estimates of merchandise inventories owned by retailers 
represent all merchandise located in retail stores, warehouses, 
offices, or in transit for distribution to retail establishments. The 
estimates of merchandise inventories exclude fixtures and supplies not 
held for sale, as well as merchandise held on consignment owned by 
others. The BEA uses inventories data to determine the investment 
portion of the GDP.
    Retail e-commerce sales are estimated from the same sample used in 
the Monthly Retail Trade Survey to estimate

[[Page 16264]]

preliminary and final U.S. retail sales. The Monthly Retail Trade 
sample is updated on an ongoing basis to account for new retail 
employer businesses (including those selling via the Internet), 
business deaths, and other changes to the retail business universe. 
Research was conducted to ensure that retail firms selected in the 
Monthly Retail Trade Survey sample and engaged in e-commerce are 
representative of the universe of e-commerce retailers. Total e-
commerce sales for 2007 were estimated at $136 billion.
    Census publish retail sales and inventories estimates based on the 
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which has been 
widely adopted throughout both the public and private sectors.
    The BEA is the primary Federal user of data collected in the 
Monthly Retail Trade Survey. BEA uses the information in its 
preparation of the National Income and Products Accounts, and its 
benchmark and annual input-output tables. Statistics provided from 
retail sales and inventories estimates are used in the calculation of 
the GDP. If the survey were not conducted, BEA would lack comprehensive 
data from the retail sector. This would adversely affect the 
reliability of the National Income and Products Accounts and the GDP.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the data as input to 
their Producer Price Indexes and in developing productivity 
measurements. The data are also used for gauging current economic 
trends of the economy. Private businesses use the retail sales and 
inventories data to compute business activity indexes. The private 
sector also uses retail sales as a reliable indicator of consumer 
activity.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at: 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: March 24, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-6260 Filed 3-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P