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 General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section answers the most frequently asked questions about the Annual Retail Trade Survey. Other sections answer additional questions about survey coverage and forms. If you don't find answers to all your survey questions, please contact us.

• General
• Form Completion
• Sample Selection
• Publication Information

 Questions and Answers - by Category

• General

1.  Is this survey mandatory?
2.  Why should my company fill out this form?
3.  Who uses the data?
4.  My firm is no longer in business. What should I do?
5.  Why don't you get the information you need from the IRS?
6.  I report data in the monthly survey. Why can't you just sum that data?
7.  How do I know that no one else can access the data from your computer?
8.  How did you get my Employer Identification Number (EIN)?
9.  Are my responses confidential?
10.  What is NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)?



• Form Completion

11.  Besides mailing the form back, are there any other ways to report?
12.  About how long will it take to complete this form?
13.  I need more time. Can I obtain an extension?
14.  Are estimates acceptable?
15.  Why do you need to know if I own other companies or if another company owns my firm?
16.  Can I report cost of goods sold instead of purchases?
17.  If I need another copy of the questionnaire(s), how can I obtain one?
18.  Can I be paid for completing the survey?



• Sample Selection

19.  What services will be covered in the ARTS?
20.  How was my company selected for the survey?
21.  How long will I be in the survey?
22.  I'm a very small business. Why do you want information from me?



• Publication Information

23.  When will the survey data be available?
24.  How can I obtain the published data?