Growth in U.S. retail employment varies by sector

Did you know retail is the seventh-largest major US industry? 🛍️ It makes up 6.4% of US GDP — a trend that’s held steady since 1997.  

In 2023, retail employed 16.4M people, a 7% increase from the Great Recession in 2010. However, retail employment hasn’t grown evenly across the board. 

Some sectors (think motor vehicles and parts and building materials and supplies) are booming, while others (like electronics and appliances) have seen a decline.