Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods in the First Nine Months of 2016

In first nine months of 2016, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 2,797.6 billion yuan, up by 10.7 percent year-on-year (nominal growth rate. The real growth rate was 9.6 percent. The follows are nominal growth rates if there’s no additional explanation). Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was 1,350.4 billion yuan, increased 8.8 percent.

From January to September, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 23,848.2billion yuan, up by 10.4 percent year-on-year. Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was10,834.4billion yuan, increased 7.8 percent.

In terms of different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 2,375.7 billion yuan in September, up by 10.7percent, year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 421.9 billion yuan, up by 11.0percent, year-on-year. From January to September, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 20,494.0billion yuan up by 10.3 percent, year-on-year; while that in rural areas was3,354.2 billion yuan, up by 10.9percent, year-on-year.

In terms of different consumption patterns, the catering services in September gained 301.1billion yuan, up by 10.6 percent, year-on-year. The retail sales of goods gained2,496.5billion yuan, up by 10.7 percent. From January to September, the catering services gained 2,561.4 billion yuan, up by 11.0 percent, year-on-year. The retail sales of goods gained 21,286.8billion yuan, up by 10.3 percent.

The retail sales amount of goods of units above designated size in Septemberwas 1,269.5billion yuan, up by 9.0 percent year-on-year. From January to September, the retail sales amount of goods of units above designated size in September was 10,178.5billion yuan, up by 7.9 percent year-on-year.

From January to September, the national online retail salesof goods and services was 3,465.1billion yuan, increased 26.1 percent year-on-year. Of which, the online retail sales of physical goods was 2,795.0billion yuan, increased 25.1 percent, accounting for 11.7 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods; Of the online retail sales of physical goods, food, clothing and other commodities went up by 29.2 percent, 16.3 percent and 28.3 percent respectively.

Annotations:

1. Explanatory Notes

Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: refers to the sales of physical commodity or the income of catering services sold or provided by enterprises (units) to individuals, social organizations for non-production and non-operation purposes.

Online Retail Sales: refers to the sales of goods and services got through public online trading platform (including self-built websites and third-party platform). Goods and services include physical goods and non-physical goods (such as virtual product, services). 

The total retail sales of consumer goods includes online retail sales of physical goods, excludes online retail sales ofnon-physical goods.

2.Statistical Coverage

The corporate enterprises, industrial activity units or self-employed individuals which retail goods or provide catering services. Enterprises (units) above designated size refer to those wholesale enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 20 million yuan and above, those retail enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 5 million yuan and above, and those hotel and catering enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 2 million yuan and above.

3. Survey Methods

All enterprises (units) above designated size are surveyed, while the data of enterprises (units) below designated size are collected by sampling survey.

4. Month-on-Month Figure Revision

According to the auto-revision function of the seasonal adjustment model, the growth rate of the total retail sales of consumer goods since September 2015 was revised. The revised figures and figures in September 2016 are as follows: