1992 CENSUS OF RETAIL TRADE


Introduction

=>GENERAL

The 1992 Census of Retail Trade, part of the 1992 Economic
Census, covered retail trade as defined in the Standard
Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual (Standard Industrial
Classification:  1987.  For sale by Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.  Stock No.
041-001-00314-2).  It included all establishments primarily
engaged in selling merchandise for personal or household
consumption and rendering services incidental to the sale of the
goods.  The census excluded governmental organizations classified
in the covered industries except for liquor stores operated by
State and local governments.  Data for direct sellers (SIC 5963)
with no paid employees and post exchanges, ship stores, and
similar establishments operated on military posts by agencies of
the Federal Government are not included.  The basic tabulations
in this report do not include data for establishments which are
auxiliary (primary function is providing a service, such as
warehouses) to retail establishments within the same
organization.  Data for auxiliaries are presented in a subsequent
report issued as part of the 1992 Enterprise Statistics reports.

For the 1992 Census of Retail Trade, large- and medium-size
firms, plus all firms known to operate more than one
establishment, were sent questionnaires to be completed and
returned to the Census Bureau by mail.  For most very small
firms, including those with no paid employees, data from existing
administrative records of other Federal agencies were used
instead.  These records provided basic information on location,
kind of business, sales, payroll, number of employees, and legal
form of organization.  In addition, more detailed information for
selected kinds of business was obtained on the various
questionnaires.

The "Coverage and Methodology" menu choice provides a more
detailed explanation of census coverage and methodology.

=>CENSUS DISCLOSURE RULES

In accordance with Federal law governing census reports, no data
are published that would disclose the operations of an individual
establishment or business.  However, the number of establishments
in a kind-of-business classification is not considered a
disclosure; therefore, this information may be released even
though other information is withheld.

=>GEOGRAPHIC AREAS COVERED

This report series presents data for the following areas:  

The United States as a whole.

Each State and the District of Columbia.

Each consolidated metropolitan statistical area (CMSA) and
primary metropolitan statistical area (PMSA) defined by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as of June 30, 1993.  A
CMSA is an area used to facilitate the presentation and analysis
of data for large concentrations of metropolitan populations.  It
includes two or more contiguous PMSA's which have a population of
at least 1,000,000 (according to the 1990 Census of Population or
subsequent special census) and which meet specific criteria of
urban character and of social and economic integration.

Each metropolitan statistical area (MSA) defined by the OMB as of
June 30, 1993.  An MSA is an integrated economic and social unit
with a population nucleus of at least 50,000 inhabitants
(according to the 1990 Census of Population or subsequent special
census).  Each MSA consists of one or more counties meeting
standards of metropolitan character; in New England, cities and
towns rather than counties are the component geographic units.

The area within the State outside metropolitan areas (MA's).

Each county or county equivalent (those defined as of January 1,
1992).  Counties are the primary divisions of States, except in
Louisiana where they are called parishes and in Alaska where they
are called boroughs and census areas.  Maryland, Missouri,
Nevada, and Virginia have one place or more that is independent
of any county organization and constitutes primary divisions of
their States.  These places are treated as counties and as
places.

Each consolidated city (those defined as of January 1, 1992).  
Consolidated cities are consolidated governments which consist of
separately incorporated municipalities.

Each municipality of 2,500 inhabitants or more (according to the
1990 Census of Population or subsequent special census)
incorporated as a city, borough, village, or town (those defined
as of January 1, 1992).  For the economic census, boroughs and
census areas in Alaska and boroughs in New York are not included
in this category.

Special economic urban areas (SEUA's), which include townships in
Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and towns in New York,
Wisconsin, and the six New England States with 10,000 inhabitants
or more (according to the 1990 Census of Population or subsequent
special census).

=>DOLLAR VALUES

All dollar values presented in this report are expressed in
current dollars; i.e., 1992 data are expressed in 1992 dollars
and 1987 data in 1987 dollars.  Consequently, when making
comparisons to prior years, users of the data should consider the
inflation that has occurred.

=>RELIABILITY OF DATA

All data compiled in this report originated from either census
questionnaires or administrative records of other Federal
agencies and, therefore, are not subject to sampling errors.  
However, the data are subject to nonsampling errors.  Nonsampling
errors can be attributed to many sources: inability to identify
all cases in the actual universe; definition and classification
difficulties; differences in the interpretation of questions;
errors in recording or coding the data obtained; and other errors
of collection, response, coverage, and estimation for missing or
misreported data.

The accuracy of these tabulated data is determined by the joint
effects of the various nonsampling errors.  No direct measurement
of these effects has been obtained except for estimation for
missing or misreported data; however, precautionary steps were
taken in all phases of the collection, processing, and tabulation
of the data in an effort to minimize the effects of nonsampling
errors.

The Census Bureau obtains on computer tape limited information
extracted from administrative records of other Federal agencies. 

This information is used in conjunction with other information
available to the Census Bureau to develop estimates for
nonemployers, small employers, and other establishments for which
responses were not received in time for publication.  File 2 of the
Geographic Area Series, "RC92A2.dbf Ratios and Comparative Statistics,"
provides information on the extent that data for establishments with payroll
in these reports were obtained from the administrative records of other
Federal agencies and from estimation, rather than reports directly from
respondents.

=>SPECIAL TABULATIONS

Special tabulations of data collected in the 1992 Census of
Retail Trade may be obtained, depending on availability of time
and personnel, on diskette, computer tape, or in tabular form.  
The data will be in summary form and subject to the same rules
prohibiting disclosure of confidential information (including
name, address, kind of business, or other data for individual
business establishments or companies) as are the regular
publications.

Special tabulations are prepared on a cost basis.  A request for
a cost estimate, as well as exact specifications on the type and
format of the data to be provided, should be directed to the
Chief, Business Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC
20233.

To discuss a special tabulation before submitting specifications,
call 1-800-541-8345.