Retail Chains and Department Stores

Detailed information for 1998

This survey collects and measures total annual retail sales made by chain and department store organizations through retail outlets.

Data release - February 1, 2001

• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

Starting with the 1999 reference year, this survey became part of the Annual Retail Chain Survey (survey number 2447).

This survey collects and measures total annual retail sales made by chain and department store organizations through retail outlets. Data are used by the retail industry associations, consultants,town planners, municipal boards, as well as large retailers. The statistics are needed to gauge and improve marketing practices, measure performance or develop national and regional economic programs and policies.

Reference period: Fiscal year

Collection period: February to June

Subjects

• Retail and wholesale
• Retail sales by type of store

Data sources and methodology

Sampling

This survey is a census.

Imputation

Non-response: Sales data (and in some cases inventory data) are estimated from the Retail Trade Survey (Monthly) (SDDS ID 2406) (i.e. the monthly data covering the reported fiscal year).

Quality evaluation

The survey has been designed to provide coverage of the retail chain sector. The sales data are provided by kind of business and by province. The publication also provides data on square footage, sales per square foot and an expanded section on department stores.

Data accuracy

Chain sales data: Response rate = 96%; Response fraction = 97%. Department store sales data: Response rate = 100%; Response fraction = 100%. Subject to non-sampling error, including coverage error, data response error, non-response error and processing error. Detailed acceptance testing and quality control checks are carried out throughout the editing and processing functions.