[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13125-13126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5434]


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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.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0717.

[[Page 13126]]

    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.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 12,200.
    Number of Respondents: 8,714.
    Average Hours per Response: 7 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: 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. In 
addition, the survey also provides an estimate of monthly sales at food 
service establishments and drinking places.
    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. The survey estimates 
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 2009 amounted to $3.7 
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 as 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. 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 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 engaged in e-
commerce are representative of the universe of e-commerce retailers. 
Total e-commerce sales for 2009 were estimated at $205 billion.
    We publish retail sales and inventories estimates based on the 
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
    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 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.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 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 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#23474b5a4d464863474c400d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5b3f3322353e301b3f3438753c342d">[email protected]</span></a>).
    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 (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fe9c969f8c8c978d95be91939cd09b918ed0999188"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a78727b68687369715a757778347f756a347d756c">[email protected]</span></a>).

    Dated: March 4, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-5434 Filed 3-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P


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