Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MARTS)

A message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau

I understand that you currently participate in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey and would like to thank you for your continued contribution. Your firm has been selected to participate in the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey. The responses obtained from this survey will provide policy makers and business leaders with an up-to-date picture of the United States economic condition and are a key element in estimating the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States. Components of the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey constitute about 25 percent of GDP.

Participating in the Advance survey means that we will be asking you to provide sales data earlier in the month. Please utilize your business expertise and judgment in completing the survey. In order to receive timely responses, if actual data are not available, carefully prepared estimates are acceptable. Use the ‘Remarks’ section to provide any needed explanations. We also encourage you to report online. The Internet address along with your Username and Password can be found in the “Return Via Internet” section on the first page of the enclosed survey form.

If you currently report inventory information to us, we ask that you continue to do so. We offer several methods of reporting:

1. Online: You can report both sales and inventory information at the same time using our website at https://respond.census.gov/mrts;

2. Mail/Fax: You can receive the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report requesting sales, and the Monthly Retail Trade Report form to report inventories, if applicable. You can opt out of receiving the mailed forms and request a single fax reminder for when online reporting is available for the month requested.

Starting next month, we will fax your initial report form. If you prefer to be contacted by mail or phone instead of fax, please call (800) 772-7852 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, to speak with a Census Bureau representative. Please visit our website at https://econhelp.census.gov/marts for more information.

The Census Bureau conducts the survey and requests your voluntary assistance under the authority of Title 13 United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 131 and 182. We estimate this survey to take only 5 minutes to complete. On the back of this letter you will find disclosure descriptions regarding Office of Management and Budget number; authority and confidentiality; and burden estimate statement. Please read the instructions, complete the form, and return it by the due date printed on the form. You can complete your form online by following the instructions provided.

Title 13 U.S.C., Section 9 also requires that we keep your answers strictly confidential. The information you provide may be seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information and may be used only for statistical purposes. Further, copies retained in your files are immune from legal process.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have additional questions, please call my staff on 1-(800) 772-7852 or visit our help site at https://econhelp.census.gov/marts.

Sincerely,

John H. Thompson

Director

Enclosures

OMB Number

You are not required to respond to this collection of information if it does not display a valid approval number from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The eight-digit OMB number is 0607-0104 and appears in the upper right corner of the report form/login screen.

Authority and Confidentiality

Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 182; authorize the Census Bureau to conduct this collection. By Section 9 of the same law, your report is confidential. It may be seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information, and may be used only for statistical purposes. The law also provides that copies of your report retained in your files are immune from legal process.

Burden Estimate Statement

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average only 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: ECON Survey Comments 0607-0104, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Room EMD-8K122, Washington, DC 20233. You may e-mail comments to ECON.Survey.Comments@census.gov. Be sure to use ECON Survey Comments 0607-0104 as the subject.