Description:

The Census Bureau surveys 13,000 retailers and inquires about internet sales during a specific time frame. Online auctions are also counted, but only for the amount of commission- not on the value of the item. The Census Bureau report bundles both retail sales with e-commerce sales.

Released:

Quarterly, almost 2 months after quarter being covered

Key Point:

This indicator has little effect on the markets due to the fact that the report is released quite sometime after the data is collected. However, thanks to more advanced technologies and the proliferation of internet services and personal computers, online spending has grown substantially and will continue to do so in the future. This consumer trend can not be ignored when determining the overall health of the retail industry.

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