This week we’ll take a look at how some sectors within the overall retail trade industry are faring during an era of structural change going on in our system for getting products from maker to end user. Our online purchases are rising quickly while restructuring within the distribution channel has caused some wholesale industries to be absorbed by the ends of the chain, manufacturers or retailers. To start off, a look at the Retail Trade Industry as a whole. Please note, these figures do not reflect the downturn suffered as a result of the recession which began, officially, in December 2007.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 1997 and 2007
Market size: Number of Establishments: 1,118,447 and 1,122,703 respectively.
Market size: Sales: $2.46 and $3.93 trillion respectively.
Market size: Employment: 13.9 and 15.6 million respectively.
Source: “Sector 00: EC0700CADV2: All Sectors: Core Business Statistics Series: Advanced Compariative Statistics for the United States (2002 NAICS Basis): 2007 and 2002,” 2007 Economic Census, available online here. The data from 1997 are from the 1997 Economic Census.
Original source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.