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For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 11, 2019

Sales for U.S. Retail Trade Sector at $5,046.9 Billion

CB19-TPS.18

April 11, 2019 — U.S. retail trade sales increased for the entire retail trade sector (NAICS 44-45) by 4.0 percent from $4,851.8 billion in 2016 to $5,046.9 billion in 2017.

Motor vehicle and parts dealers (NAICS 441) had sales of $1,174.4 billion, representing an increase of 2.8 percent over the previous year, according to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 Annual Retail Trade Survey.

Other highlights:

  • New Car Dealers (NAICS 44111) had sales of $898.9 billion in 2017, up 2.5 percent from $876.6 billion in 2016.
  • Sales for Grocery Stores (NAICS 4451) increased to $648.5 billion in 2017, or 3.9 percent from $624.1 billion in 2016.
  • Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses (NAICS 4541) had sales of $552.2 billion in 2017, up 13.0 percent from $488.6 billion in 2016.
  • Sales for Gasoline Stations (NAICS 447) increased to $452.9 billion in 2017, or 8.2 percent from $418.7 billion in 2016.

The Annual Retail Trade Survey has been conducted since 1952 and includes 16,500 employer businesses classified in the retail trade sector. The survey covers the 50 states and the District of Columbia and excludes data for businesses in the U.S. territories. Firms without paid employees (nonemployers) are included in the survey estimates through administrative data provided by other federal agencies and through imputation. The data are published on a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis, and the estimates are used to benchmark the monthly retail sales and inventories estimates each spring.

The survey includes statistics for total annual sales, e-commerce sales, sales taxes, end-of-year inventories, purchases, total operating expenses, gross margins and end-of-year accounts receivable for retail businesses.

Sales, quarterly e-commerce and inventory data are also available through the Monthly Retail Trade Survey. The data provided by the Annual Retail Trade Survey provide greater detail at the NAICS level and provide additional data that are not available through the monthly surveys such as: sales taxes, annual purchases, gross margin, operating expenses, accounts receivable and per capita retail sales.

All comparisons of sample-based estimates made in this release have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the Annual Retail Trade Survey site for measures of sampling variability for sample-based estimates.

All dollar values are expressed in current dollars, i.e., they are not adjusted for price changes. For more information about the Annual Retail Trade Survey (including information on comparability, confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error and definitions), see Annual Retail Trade methodology.

No news release associated with this product. Tip Sheet only.

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Contact


Kristina Barrett
Public Information Office
301-763-3030
pio@census.gov

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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