Alabama Retail Sales, 1998-1999

Alabama retailers rang up taxable sales totaling $4.0 billion in December 1999, a 4.9 percent increase over the $3.81 billion tallied in December 1998.  Nationally, monthly retail sales rose 11.0 percent for December 1999 compared to December 1998.  In Alabama, December sales gains were strongest in apparel, up 14.6 percent; automotive, which gained 7.2 percent; drug stores, with sales climbing 16.0 percent; and miscellaneous retail, where sales rose 13.6 percent.  December 1999 sales at general merchandise stores were 5.6 percent higher than a year ago.

For 1999 as a whole, Alabama retailers reported $39.7 billion in sales, up 4.7 percent from 1998.  However, Alabama’s annual increase was just over half the national gain of 9.1 percent.  Statewide, apparel sales showed the sharpest rise during the year, climbing 12.4 percent.  Automotive sector sales posted a gain of 8.3 percent during 1999, while sales of lumber and hardware rose 8.2 percent.  The automotive and lumber and hardware sectors were among the U.S. retail sales growth leaders during 1999, with increases of 11.8 and 10.6 percent, respectively.

Across Alabama, retail sales in the miscellaneous category were up 9.9 percent in 1999.  But sales at eating and drinking places increased a modest 3.5 percent for the year, while general merchandise sales rose just 3.2 percent.  Reported food store sales declined by 1.4 percent for 1999 compared to 1998.

CBER calculates monthly retail sales from reports received by the Alabama Department of Revenue.

A periodic disaggregate survey of multi-county firms is administered by the Department of Revenue to collect information needed to allocate sales to individual counties.  CBER’s county-level data series is currently based on the 1996 survey.  Beginning with January 2000 data, results of a 1999 survey will be incorporated.  More frequent disaggregate surveys are planned, enabling a more accurate and continuous county-level retail sales series.  State-level retail sales calculations are not affected by disaggregation.

Carolyn Trent with assistance from Kathryn Rivers