Explanatory Notes on Main Statistical Indicators

Total Purchases of Commodities　refer to the total value of purchases of commodities by enterprises (establishments) from other establishments or individuals (including direct import from abroad) for the purpose of re-selling, either with or without further processing of the commodities purchased. This indicator is used to show the total value of purchases of commodities by wholesale and retail establishments from domestic and overseas markets. The purchases include: (1) agricultural and industrial products purchased from producers; (2) books, magazines and newspapers purchased from distribution departments of the publishers; (3) commodities purchased from wholesale and retail establishments of different status of registration; (4) commodities purchased from other units, such as surplus materials purchased from government agencies, enterprises or institutions, commodities purchased from hotels and catering services establishments, confiscated goods purchased from customs authorities or market management agencies, second-hand goods and wastes purchased from residents; and (5) commodities directly imported from abroad. Excluded are commodities purchased by enterprises (establishments) for use in their own business operation, commodities obtained without buying or selling procedures, rejected commodities, etc.

Total Sales of Commodities　refer to value of commodities sold by the establishments to other establishments and individuals (including direct export to abroad and value-added taxes). This indicator is used to show the total value of sales of commodities at domestic markets and export. The sales include: (1) commodities sold to urban and rural residents and social institutions for their consumption; (2) commodities sold to establishments in industry, agriculture, construction, post and telecommunications, wholesale and retail trades, hotels and catering services for their production and operation; (3) commodities for direct export to abroad. Excluded are: (1) commodities transferred without buying or selling procedures, such as hand-over commodities to other enterprises with institution changing, lent commodities, returned commodities that had been administered by other enterprises, processing raw materials sent out and samples present to other enterprises etc. (2)commission income from brokerage in transactions for which settlement is directly handled by buyers and sellers, (3)rejected commodities in the purchase, (4) loss in commodities, (5) self-using junk materials sold by enterprises etc.

Sales of Wholesale Trades　refers to the amount of money of commodities sold to various national economic industries for producing and operating.

Sales of Retail Trades　refers to the amount of money of commodities sold to urban and rural residents for household consumption and to social institutions for public consumption. 

Total Stock of Commodities　to wholesale and retail units and individual enterprises, it refers to total commodities possessed at the end of report periods(including value-added taxes); to wholesale and retail corporation units, it refers to total commodities actually in stock and possessed at the end of report periods(including value-added taxes). This indicator reflects the commodity stock level of various wholesale and retail enterprises and the potential for market supply. It includes: (1) commodities located in storage, garages, counters, and shelves of operating units (such as sale stores, wholesale centers, and operating offices) of wholesale and retail enterprises; (2) commodities in the process of being selected, sorted, and packed; (3) commodities not arrived but recorded as purchase in the account, i.e. commodities not arrived but payment receipts for the commodities from the sellers or the banks arrived; (4) commodities deposited in other places rather than places mentioned above, for instance: commodities in the hold of purchasers temporarily due to the refusal of payment and commodities not taken back after going through the formalities; (5) commodities entrusted to other units to sell but not sold yet; (6) commodities purchased for other units but not delivered yet. Commodities not included as: (1) stock are those not owned by the enterprises (units), (2)commodities on commission for processing but not yet delivered, (3)imported commodities of agency of foreign trade enterprise but not yet delivered to ordering units ,(4) finally those put in stock on behalf of the state material reserves units.

Volume of Transaction at Large Commodity Markets with Transaction Value over 100 Million Yuan　refers to the markets with an annual transaction of over 100 million yuan markets approved by the industrial and commercial administration departments, which specialize in wholesale and retail trades of commodities with an annual transaction of over 100 million yuan. The sum of sales of all sellers in the market makes up the transaction value of the market.

Head Chain Store(Head Office)　refers to the core managing institution in charge of development, allocation, controlling or using chain enterprise’s resources (such as firms, business credits, operating modes, servicing standards and managing modes etc.).Chain operation refers to the type of organization of several stores selling the same commodities or providing the same services use a uniform firm, and they under the management of the same head store(head office), realizing scaled efficient by modes of uniform purchases or licensed operating. The modes of chain operation include Regular Chain, Licensed Chain and Voluntary Chain.

Regular Chain refers to chain that are invested or controlled by the headquarters. They operate under direct and unified management from the headquarters. Licensed chain refers to chain that enterprises(licensing units)owning operating resources like registered trade marks, enterprise’s symbols, patents and special techniques license their resources to other operators(licensed units) in type of contracts. Licensed units operate in uniform operation mode according to contracts, and pay the licensed fees to licensing units. Voluntary Chain refers to chain that various stores or enterprises combine together voluntarily, and face the consumers with the same brand image while the own ship of assets did not changed.

Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods　refer to the summary of retail sales of commodities sold directly by wholesale and retail trades, catering services and other service industries to urban and rural households for household consumption and to social institutions for public consumption.  The Retail Sales of Consumer Goods to households refer to sales of commodities sold to urban and rural households for household consumption. The Retail Sales of Consumer Goods to social institutions refer to sales of commodities sold to departments, social institutions, armies, schools, enterprises and public institutions, neighborhood committees or village committees for non-production, non-operation and public consumption purposes, paid with government expenses.  Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods includes:  sales of commodities and building materials sold to urban and rural households for household and building houses, sales of Consumer Goods sold to foreigners, overseas Chinese and Chinese compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan visiting China, and sales of commodities sold to social institutions for non-production, non-operation and public consumption purposes. It excludes: sales of commodities between urban households, sales of commodities sold by urban households through trust shops and sales of commodities sold to agriculture, industry, and construction and so on for production.