Retail Activity Survey

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Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) OVERVIEW The Retail Activity Survey is one of the rotating economic censuses/surveys linked to the Australian National Accounts within the ABS economic statistics strategy, and is in general conducted once every 6 years. The survey directly collects detailed financial information on the operations of Retail businesses in the public trading and private employing sectors of the Australian economy. For the 1998-99 collection, the feasibility of supplementing the directly collected sample with Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data to produce estimates for employing businesses was actively investigated. A decision not to proceed was reached following advice that there would only be marginal improvements to Standard Errors, but such an exercise would involve significant increases to resources. PURPOSE The main objective of the Retail Activity Survey (project 123) is to compile timely and high quality statistics for inclusion in National Accounts estimates. The survey provides detailed industry level data for the following purposes: detailed expense data is collected to provide reliable benchmark data, with information from the Economic Activity Survey used to extrapolate for the years between the retail collections. This information is required to derive input structure estimates for reselling and repair activity separately. commodity sales information is collected to enable the compilation of deflators. Specifically, commodity data are used to determine which price indexes are required and the weights to be used to combine them. The deflators are used to derive volume measures of turnover (which feeds into GDP(P)), stocks and the goods component of Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE). margins data is collected to provide the 'bridge' between sales/output at basic price and consumption/input at purchasers' prices. Accurate margins information enables the balancing of input and output data. Secondary objectives of the survey are to provide information for: market research and analysis by, for example, retail consultants, the retail industry, retailer associations; and providing feedback to the Business Register on employment and ANZSIC data for the benefit of Business Register based collections, in particular the monthly retail survey. SCOPE The scope of the Retail Activity Survey includes all employing public and private businesses in Australia, recorded on the ABS Business Register with a predominant activity of retailing i.e. ANZSIC Division G. Non-employing groups were not covered or included in the survey, however some non-employing MU's were included on the frame (these were generally part of a personally profiled group). Approximately 7,200 business units were selected using stratified random sampling techniques. Retail units selected in the Economic Activity Survey sample formed a subset of the Retail Activity Survey sample (100% overlap). All businesses (Management Units) with 50 or more employees and/or multi-State retailing business units were selected in the sample. DATA DETAIL Conceptual framework The Retail Activity Survey draws its population from the ABS Business Register. It is one of the rotating Economic Censuses/Surveys linked to the Australian National Accounts within the ABS economic statistics strategy. Main outputs Retail Industry Australia - (ABS Cat No. 8622.0) Includes details of Summary of Operations (Australian X Industry Class) i.e. no. of management units; persons employed; wages & salaries; turnover; industry value added; and selected operating ratios. In addition, the publication contains State/Territory details of income, employment, wages and salaries, number of locations and retail floorspace. Retail Industry 1998/99 Commodity Sales Australia - (ABS Cat No. 8624.0) Contains details of commodity sales and gross margins (Australia X Industry Class): components of turnover; commodity sales; and Other revenue. Classifications Industry Using the Australian and New Zealand Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), businesses are classified to retail stratification industries. Food Retailing 5110 Supermarkets and Grocery Stores 5121 Fresh Meat, Fish and Poultry 5122 Fruit and Vegetable 5123 Liquor 5124 Bread and Cake 5125 Takeaway Food 5126 Milk Vending 5129 Specialised Food Retailing Personal and Hoousehold Goods Retailing 5210 Department Stores 5221 Clothing 5222 Footwear 5223 Fabric and Other Soft Goods 5231 Furniture 5232 Floor Covering 5233 Domestic Hardware and Houseware 5234 Domestic Appliance 5235 Recorded Music 5241 Sport and Camping Equipment 5242 Toy and Game 5243 Newspaper, Book & Stationery 5244 Photographic Equipment 5245 Marine Equipment 5251 Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic and Toiletry 5252 Antique and Used Good 5253 Garden Supplies 5254 Flower Retailing 5255 Watch and Jewellery 5259 Retailing n.e.c. 5261 Household Equipment Repair Services (Electrical) 5269 Household Equipment Repair Services n.e.c. Motor Vechicle Retaing 5311 Car 5312 Motor Cycle Dealing 5313 Trailer and Caravan Dealing 5321 Automotive Fuel 5322 Automotive Electrical Services 5323 Smash Repairing 5324 Tyre 5329 Auto Repair & Service n.e.c Products The product classification used in the 1998-99 Retail collection was formed by aggregating the 1100 or so products in the Input/Output Product Classification (IOPC), taking into account: how products sold by Retail businesses are grouped in records National Accounts requirements to comply with the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) requirements to comply with the Central Product Classification (CPC) specific product requirements of Information Technology Section specific product requirements of National Centre for Cultural and Recreational Statistics (NCCRS) The classification was produced in conjunction with that for the Wholesale Industry Survey to enable comparison of product information between the two surveys where appropriate. Other concepts (summary) The Retail Industry Survey uses ABS standard data items. Data is cross classified by the following employment size groupings: 0 - 19 persons 20 - 199 persons 200 or more persons. GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL Australia New South Wales Victoria Queensland South Australia Western Australia Tasmania Northern Territory ACT Comments and/or Other Regions No further geographic breakdown is avialble for the 1998-99 survey. COLLECTION FREQUENCY 6 Yearly Frequency comments Has varied but generally six years. COLLECTION HISTORY The Retail Activity Survey was conducted for the first time in respect of the 1991-92 reference period and was an integral component of the 1991-92 Retail and Services collection program. The 1991-92 strategy involved the collection of data through two independent surveys: a sample survey of 29,000 retail business units where detailed financial information on income, commodity sales, expenses, assets and liabilities was collected (the Retail Activity Survey); and a census of 250,000 locations or shops known as the Retail and Services Census, where a limited range of data (wages and salaries, turnover, employment, floor space and usual weekly trading hours) were collected from every in-scope retail and selected services location in Australia. Prior to the 1991-92 collection, detailed retail industry information was sourced from the Retail Census (which has been conducted at 5/6 yearly intervals since 1948). DATA AVAILABILITY Yes Data availability comments Retail Industry, Australia - 1998-99 (ABS Cat. No. 8622.0) Retail Industry, Australia - Commodity Sales - 1998-99 (ABS Cat. No. 8624.0) DATE OF LAST UPDATE FOR THIS DOCUMENT 27/06/2002 07:49 AM Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.