[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69239-69240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28881]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
[Docket Number 111013624-1626-01]
Annual Retail Trade Survey
AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Determination.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of the
Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the
Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the
2011 Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS). ARTS covers employer firms with
establishments located in the United States and classified in the
Retail Trade and/or Accommodation and Food Services sectors as defined
by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Through this survey, the Census Bureau will collect data covering
annual sales, annual e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside
and outside the United States, total operating expenses, purchases,
accounts receivables, and, for selected industries, merchandise line
sales, and percent of e-commerce sales to customers located outside the
United States. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical
basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies.
Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business
needs such as economic and market analysis, company performance, and
forecasting future demand.
ADDRESSES: The Census Bureau will provide report forms to businesses
included in the survey. Additional copies are available upon written
request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0101.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aneta Erdie, Service Sector Statistics
Division, at (301) 763-4841 or by email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 182, 224, and 225 of Title 13 of
the United States Code authorize the Census Bureau to take surveys that
are necessary to produce current data on the subjects covered by the
major censuses. As part of this authorization, the Census Bureau
conducts the ARTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical
data on retail trade, and accommodation and food services activity for
the period between economic censuses. ARTS is a continuation of similar
retail trade surveys conducted each year since 1951
[[Page 69240]]
(except 1954). ARTS covers employer firms with establishments located
in the United States and classified in the Retail Trade and/or
Accommodation and Food Services sectors as defined by the 2007 North
American Industry Classification System (NAICS). ARTS provides, on a
comparable classification basis, annual sales, annual e-commerce sales,
purchases, total operating expenses, accounts receivables, and year-end
inventories held inside and outside the United States for 2011. The
Census Bureau has determined that the conduct of this survey is
necessary because these data are not available publicly on a timely
basis from any other sources.
A new sample of firms will be selected for the 2011 ARTS. It is
expected that approximately 60-70% of the companies that are asked to
report will be doing so for the first time (and, consequently, 60-70%
of the prior sample will no longer be asked to report). In order to
link estimates from the new and prior samples, we will be asking
companies to provide data for 2011 and 2010. The ARTS for 2012 and
those for subsequent years will request one year of data until a new
sample is once again introduced.
Firms are selected for the ARTS survey using a stratified random
sample based on industry groupings and annual sales size. We will
provide report forms to the firms covered by this survey in January
2012, and will require their responses within 60 days after receipt.
Firms' responses to the ARTS survey are required by law(Title 13 U.S.C.
Sections 182, 224, and 225). The sample of firms selected will provide,
with measurable reliability, statistics on annual sales, annual e-
commerce sales, purchases, total operating expenses, accounts
receivables, and year-end inventories held both inside and outside the
United States for 2011.
The data collected in this survey will be similar to that collected
in the past and within the general scope and nature of those inquiries
covered in the economic census. These data are collected to provide a
sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various
government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of
public and business needs including economic and market analysis,
company performance, and forecasting future demand.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of
information displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521,
OMB has approved the Annual Retail Trade Survey under OMB Control
Number 0607-0013.
Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that an annual survey be
conducted for the purpose of collecting these data.
Dated: November 2, 2011.
Robert M. Groves,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2011-28881 Filed 11-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P