Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tweet[IWS] Census: THE 2009 HOLIDAY SEASON
IWS Documented News Service
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Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
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Facts for Features from the Census Bureau
CB09-FF.23
Oct. 29, 2009
The 2009 Holiday Season
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014405.html
or
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/pdf/cb09ff-23_holidayseason.pdf
[full-text, 5 pages]
The holiday season is a time for gathering and celebrating with friends and family, gift-giving, reflection and thanks. To commemorate this time of year, the U.S. Census Bureau presents the following holiday-related facts and figures from its data collection.
It’s in the Mail
16.6 billion
Number of cards, letters and packages the U.S. Postal Service will deliver between Dec. 1 and Christmas this year. The busiest mailing day is set for Dec. 14, and Dec. 16 will be the busiest delivery day. Source: U.S. Postal Service http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm
Rush to the Stores
$28.2 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s department stores (including leased departments) in December 2008. This represented a 40 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $20.2 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.
Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2008 were book stores (95 percent); clothing stores (32 percent); jewelry stores (125 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (38 percent); and sporting goods stores (62 percent).
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>
14 percent
The proportion of total 2008 sales for department stores (including leased departments) in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 18 percent.
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>
23 percent
The growth in inventories by our nation’s department stores (excluding leased departments) from Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2008. Thanks to the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 25 percent in December.
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>
Note: Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated as departments or concessions of other service establishments or of retail businesses, such as a separately owned shoeshine parlor in a barber shop, or a beauty shop in a department store. Also, retail sales estimates have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricing variations.
$24 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2008 — the highest total for any month last year.
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>
16,670
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2007. These businesses, which employed 268,328 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts. Their 2007 sales: $199 billion, of which 44.6 percent were attributable to e-commerce. California led the nation in the number of these establishments and their employees, with 2,493 and 32,971, respectively.
Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/014105.html> and
Annual Trade Survey <http://www.census.gov/eos/www/2007/table6.xls>
If you’re not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2007, there were 155,371 clothing and clothing accessories stores; 10,116 department stores; 9,515 hobby, toy and game shops; 30,920 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 23,756 sporting goods stores; 27,484 jewelry stores; and 10,635 book stores across the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paid employees.
Source: County Business Patterns http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/014105.html
Christmas Trees and Decorations
$410 million
Sales by U.S. Christmas tree farmers in 2007.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service <http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$109.3 million
Sales by Christmas tree farmers in Oregon in 2007, which led the nation.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service <http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$470.3 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and August 2009. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($28.6 million worth) during the same period.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
Where the Toys are ... Made
94
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2007; they employed 1,641 people. California led the nation with 17 locations.
Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/014105.html>
683
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children’s vehicles in 2007; they employed 10,708 workers. California led the nation with 112 establishments.
Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/014105.html>
AND MUCH MORE.....
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Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
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