Retail Industry
The retail industry is critical to US economy. According to recently published US data, the retail industry continues to be the second-largest industry in the United States both in number of establishments and number of employees, accounted for over one million establishments, 11.6 percent of total U.S. employment, over 15 million people, and sales’ estimates edging $4.7 trillion.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total e-commerce sales for 2015 were estimated at $341.8 billion, an increase of 14.9% from 2014. Total retail trade sales in 2015 increased by 1.6% from 2014. E-commerce sales in 2015 accounted for 7.3% percent of total US retail trade sales. In the past ten years e-commerce growth ranged from 2.2 % to 23.9%. This growth rate is impressive, especially when compared to the moderate to weak traditional retail year over year sales growth in the same time-period (-8.0% to 7.4%).
U.S. Retail Trade and E-commerce Sales
U.S. Retail Trade and E-commerce Sales
| Year | Total Retail Sales | E-commerce Sales | E-commerce as a percent of total | YoY percent change total retail sales | YoY percent change E-commerce sales |
| 2017 | $5.1 T | $452.1 B | 8.9% | 4.8% | 16.0% |
| 2016 | $4.8 T | $389.8 B | 8.0% | 3.0% | 14.0% |
| 2015 | $4.7 T | $341.8 B | 7.3% | 1.6% | 14.9% |
| 2014 | $4.6 T | $297.6 B | 6.4% | 3.9% | 14.3% |
| 2013 | $4.5 T | $260.3 B | 5.8% | 3.8% | 13.3% |
| 2012 | $4.3 T | $229.7 B | 5.3% | 4.8% | 15.1% |
| 2011 | $4.1 T | $199.5 B | 4.9% | 7.4% | 17.5% |
| 2010 | $3.8 T | $169.8 B | 4.4% | 5.6% | 16.8% |
| 2009 | $3.6 T | $145.4 B | 4.0% | -8.0% | 2.2% |
| 2008 | $3.9 T | $142.2 B | 3.6% | -1.8% | 4.5% |
| 2007 | $4.0 T | $136.0 B | 3.4% | 3.1% | 20.5% |
| 2006 | $3.9 T | $112.9 B | 2.9% | 5.2% | 23.9% |
| 2005 | $3.7 T | $91.1 B | 2.5% | 6.5% | 25.8% |
| 2004 | $3.5 T | $72.4 B | 2.1% | 6.1% | 27.1% |
| 2003 | $3.3 T | $57.0 B | 1.7% | 4.2% | 28.1% |
| 2002 | $3.1 T | $44.5 B | 1.4% | 2.2% | 30.2% |
| 2001 | $3.1 T | $34.2 B | 1.1% | 2.8% | 24.6% |
| 2000 | $3.0 T | $27.4 B | 0.9% |
Assembled from: Quarterly U.S. Retail Sales (Adjusted) – Total and E-commerce
Here is a list of Retailers and their weekly Ads. Click on the retailer name to get to their main page and on the Weekly Ad to go to their Ad: Sears: Weekly Ad; K-Mart: Weekly Ad; Home Depot: Weekly Ad; Lowes: Weekly Ad; JCPenny: Weekly Ad; Kohl’s: Weekly Ad; Walgreens: Weekly Ad; CVS: Weekly Ad; Target: Weekly Ad; Wal-Mart: Weekly Ad;
Here is a list of schools, training institutions, universities that offer retail management programs: The Center for Retail Management,Northwestern University; Retail Management Institute, Santa Clara University; Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University; Bachelor of Science in Business/Retail Management, University of Phoenix; David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education and Research, University of Florida; Retail Manaagement program in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing, Purdue University; Associate Degree in Retail Management at home, at your own pace with Penn Foster College; Retail Management, University of Minnesota .