Frequently Asked Questions
Sample Revision 2006
Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey

What is a sample revision?

The Census Bureau periodically redesigns and reselects the samples for its business surveys to reflect the results of the latest Economic Census. The Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey is being revised to reflect the 2002 Economic Census of Retail Trade and more recent data from the Business Register. This ensures that our sample is representative of the current retail industry. Revising the sample also allows the Census Bureau to redistribute the burden of reporting for small and medium sized companies.

How often is the sample revised?

The sample is revised approximately every two and a half years.

When will estimates from the new sample be released?

The initial estimates from the new sample are scheduled for release on December 13, 2006, and will present data for the November 2006 data month.

There was a special release on November 30 restating historical estimates based on the new sample. This release restated unadjusted preliminary data for September 2006, as well as adjusted data for October 2006, September 2006, August 2006, October 2005, and September 2005.

How were the restated October 2006 Advance estimates derived?

The restated October 2006 advance unadjusted sales estimate for each detailed industry was derived by multiplying the restated preliminary unadjusted sales estimate for September 2006 by the September-to-October change in sales estimated from the new Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MARTS) sample. Using the restated unadjusted estimates, we computed new seasonal, holiday, and trading-day adjustment factors for each detailed industry and used them to produce adjusted advance sales estimates for October 2006 and the revised sales estimates for October 2005. Advance sales estimates at broad industry levels were derived by summing the appropriate detailed industry estimates.

For more information on the restatement of the preliminary sales estimates for September 2006 and the final sales estimates for August 2006 and September 2005, please see the Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) website at: http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html.

 

 

Any further questions can be emailed to the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey.

 

  

Source: U. S. Census Bureau 
            Service Sector Statistics Division
            Retail Indicators Branch

Last Revised: December 07, 2006