This industry group comprises establishments known as department stores primarily engaged in retailing a wide range of the following new products with no one merchandise line predominating: apparel, furniture, appliances and home furnishings; and selected additional items, such as paint, hardware, toiletries, cosmetics, photographic equipment, jewelry, toys, and sporting goods. Merchandise lines are normally arranged in separate departments.

For the 2007 Economic Census, the 2007 Survey of Business Owners, and the 2007 Economic Census of Island Areas, total sales exclude the sales from leased departments owned by another company and operating within the department store. Department stores include sales from catalog order desks.