[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48491-48492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19911]
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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: Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MARTS).
OMB Control Number: 0607-0104.
Form Number(s): SM-4412A, SM-4412AE, SM-4412AS, and SM-7212A.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Number of Respondents: 4,900.
Average Hours per Response: 5 minutes.
Burden Hours: 4,900.
Needs and Uses: The Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MARTS) is
administered monthly to a sample of employer firms (i.e., businesses
with paid employees) with establishments located in the United States
and classified in retail trade and/or food services sectors as defined
by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). MARTS
began in 1953 as a monthly survey for activity taking place during the
previous month. MARTS was developed in response to requests by
government, business, and other users to provide an early indication of
current retail trade activity in the United States. Retail sales are
one of the primary measures of consumer demand for both durable and
non-durable goods. MARTS also provides an estimate of monthly sales at
food service establishments and drinking places.
The results from MARTS provide the earliest possible look at
consumer spending. Without MARTS, the Census Bureau's earliest measure
of retail sales is the ``preliminary'' estimate from the full monthly
sample, Month Retail Trade Survey (MRTS), released approximately 6
weeks after the end of the reference month. Advance estimates are
released approximately 9 working days after the reference month.
This survey uses a multi-mode data collection process that includes
Internet reporting (Centurion), fax, telephone, and mail. The survey
requests sales and e-commerce sales for the month just ending. If
reporting data for a period other than the calendar month, the survey
asks for the period's length (4 or 5 weeks) and the date on which the
period ended. The survey also asks for the number of establishments
covered by the data provided and whether or not the sales data provided
are estimates or more accurate ``book'' figures.
The survey results are published on the Census Bureau's Web site,
http://www.census.gov/retail.
The U.S. Census Bureau tabulates the collected data to provide,
with measured reliability, statistics on United States retail sales.
These estimates are especially valued by data users because of their
timeliness. There would be approximately a 6 week delay in the
availability of these statistics if this survey were not conducted.
The sales estimates are used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA), Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), Federal Reserve Board (FRB),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and other government agencies, as
well as business users in formulating economic decisions.
BEA uses the survey results as critical inputs to the calculation
of the personal consumption expenditures component (PCE) of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). Specifically, BEA Chief Statistician states
``this important survey is our main data source for key components of
BEA's economic statistics. Data on retail sales are used to prepare
monthly estimates of personal consumption expenditures component of
gross domestic product for all PCE goods categories, except tobacco,
prescription drugs, motor vehicles, and gasoline end oil. These
estimates are also published each month in the Personal Income and
Outlays press release''. In first quarter 2015, PCE comprised 68
percent of total
[[Page 48492]]
GDP. PCE Goods (retail) was 32 percent of the PCE estimate.
CEA and other government agencies and businesses use the survey
results to formulate and make decisions. CEA reports the retail data,
one of the principal federal economic indicators, to the President each
month for awareness on the current picture on the ``state of the
economy'' and presents the data in one of the tables in Economic
Indicators, a monthly publication prepared for Congress and the public.
In addition, CEA's Macroeconomic Forecaster uses the retail sales data,
one of the key monthly data releases each month, to keep track of real
economic growth in the current quarter. According to CEA, spending
components in the retail sales report constitute about 25 percent of
the GDP, well in excess of any other indicator.
Policymakers such as the FRB need to have the timeliest estimates
in order to anticipate economic trends and act accordingly. BLS uses
the estimates to develop consumer price indexes used in inflation and
cost of living calculations. In addition, businesses use the estimates
to measure how they are performing and predict future demand for their
products.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
Frequency: Monthly.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, sections 131 and
182.
This information collection request may be viewed at
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce
collections currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.
Dated: August 10, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-19911 Filed 8-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P