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Fay Dorsett
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       Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses Account for Most
         Computer Hardware and Software Sales, Census Bureau Reports

  Electronic shopping and mail-order houses sold $22.9 billion in computer
hardware, software and supplies in 1997, more than any other type of retail
business, according to one of two new reports released today by the Commerce
Department's Census Bureau.

  "In 1997, electronic shopping was not yet a significant segment of the
industry we call 'electronic shopping and mail-order houses'," said Census
Bureau analyst Paul Zeisset. "But that segment is growing, and we will identify
electronic shopping and electronic auctions in categories separate from
mail-order houses in 2002, the next time we take the economic census."

  Retail Trade: Merchandise Line Sales is the first in a series of reports
from the 1997 Economic Census to explore the lines of goods sold or sources of
receipts by industry type.

Highlights:
  
- Of  the $56.4 billion in sales of computer hardware, software and supplies by
  all types of retailers, 41 percent were made by electronic shopping and
  mail-order houses. Conventional computer and software stores followed with
  39 percent; radio, television, and other electronics stores, 12 percent;
  and office supplies and stationery stores, 5 percent.
  
- Sales of all types of merchandise from the electronic shopping and mail-order
  houses totaled $79 billion in 1997. Computer hardware, software and supplies
  accounted for 29 percent; clothing and footwear, 15 percent; and drugs, health
  aids and beauty aids, 13 percent. 

- Sales of cigarettes, cigars, tobacco and smokers' accessories amounted to
  $37 billion in 1997. Of that total, 37 percent were sold by gasoline stations
  (including those with convenience stores); 24 percent by supermarkets and
  other grocery stores; 10 percent by warehouse clubs and superstores; 9 percent
  by convenience stores; and 7 percent by tobacco stores. Vending machines
  accounted for less than 1 percent of tobacco sales.
  
  The 1997 Economic Census is the first to identify casino hotels separately
from other hotels, and the second report, Accommodation and Foodservices:
Merchandise Line Sales, covers these businesses.
  
Highlights:

- Hotels and motels excluding casino hotels obtained 73 percent of their
  receipts from guestroom rentals in 1997, with meals and alcoholic beverages
  accounting for most of the rest. 
  
- Casino hotels depended on guestroom rentals for only 13 percent of their
  receipts, while 66 percent came from gaming (including casino games and
  slot machines).

  The data in these two reports are subject to sampling variability and
nonsampling errors. Nonsampling errors arise from sources such as errors of
response, nonreporting and inaccurate coverage. Information concerning survey
design, methodology and data limitations are available in the full reports.

  While the main reports are confined to national data, the supporting
databases provide data for each state and metropolitan area. Reports on
wholesale trade and various service sectors will be issued over the next
few months.