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 Manual: 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. =>ESTABLISHMENT AND FIRM SIZE This report represents a recompilation of data collected in the 1992 Census of Retail Trade and is divided into three categories: size of establishment, size of firm, and legal form of organization. Size of establishment. Only establishments which operated the entire year have been classified into the various size groups used in the establishment size files (files 1 and 2). An establishment is classified as "operated entire year" if it operated 10 months or more during the year. Data for establishments which reported that they were in operation fewer than 10 months are separately summarized as "not operated entire year." Sales size - Data in file 1 are classified into sales size groups depending on the value of sales and other receipts reported for the year 1992. Employment size - Data in file 2 are classified into employment size groups depending on the number of employees on the payroll during the pay period including March 12, 1992. Proprietors, partners, and unpaid family workers were not regarded as employees in determining the employment size of an establishment. Size of firm. A firm may be either a single establishment (single unit) firm or a multiestablishment (multiunit) firm. Firm size groups are based on aggregate data for all establishments operated by the same firm in the kind-of-business classification, group, or total for which data are presented. For example, a firm operates three retail establishments: a department store (SIC 531), a variety store (SIC 533), and a grocery store (SIC 541). At each of the three most detailed levels of classification, each of the establishments is a single unit operated by a multiestablishment firm. At the general merchandise group level (SIC 53), it is a two-establishment multiunit. At the retail trade total level, it is a three-establishment multiunit. Data are presented based on sales size of firms, employment size of firms, and concentration by largest firms, as well as for single units and multiunits (by number of establishments operated). In files 4 and 5, only firms which operated the entire year are classified into the various size groups. A firm is considered to have "operated entire year" if any of its establishments at that SIC level operated 10 months or more during the year. Data for firms which reported that none of their establishments operated 10 months or more are separately summarized as "not operated entire year." Single unit and multiunit firms - Data in file 3 are classified into firm size groups based on number of establishments operated. A single unit is a firm with only one establishment engaged in economic activities. A multiunit (multiestablishment) firm is a firm with two establishments or more engaged in economic activities. A multiestablishment firm may, however, operate only one establishment classified in retail trade. Sales size - Data in file 4 are classified into sales size groups depending on the value of sales and other receipts reported for 1992. Employment size - Data in file 5 are classified into employment size groups depending on the number of employees on the payroll during the pay period including March 12. Proprietors, partners, and unpaid family workers were not regarded as employees in determining the employment size of a firm. Concentration of largest firms - Data in file 6 are presented separately for the 4, 8, 20, and 50 largest firms based on total sales. Legal form of organization. Data in file 7 are presented for individual establishments and firms by legal form of organization for four separate categories. For the method of assigning legal form, see menu item "Data Item Definitions" in the documentation viewing (DOCVIEW) system, or the text file RC92S.exp. =>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 by kind of business for the United States as a whole. =>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.