Between 2007 and 2014, the gross revenue of Internet sales from commercial companies in the country rose from R$7.7 billion to R$ 30.2 billion (after discounting the effects of inflation). That represents a real increase of 290.4%. In the same period, sales by telephone generated an increase of 236.5% in gross revenue. The overall gross revenue of retail trade rose 86.5%.

In 2014, Brazil had 1.6 million commercial companies, leaving net operating revenue of R$3.0 trillion and paying R$186.5 billion in compensation to a total 10.7 million workers. The Southeast accounted for the biggest participation in the main trade variables in 2014: gross revenue of resale (51.1%); compensation (55.5%) and employed persons (51.2%), besides paying the highest average salary (2.0 minimum wages).

In relation to 2013, the average real salary paid by the trade sector (R$ 1,340) rose 4.7%; retail trade recorded the biggest increase (6.8%). Net revenue rose 7.3% in the period, driven by wholesale trade. The wage bill (8.1%) and the number of employed persons (3.3%) also recorded increases driven by retail trade.

All that and more can be found in the IBGE's Annual Survey of Trade (PAC), a survey that explores the productive structure of commercial companies in the country and provides information on productivity, trade margin, salaries paid and employed persons, among other variables. The complete publication of PAC 2014 is available here.

The gross revenue of online sales from comercial companies changed from R$ 7.7 billion to R$ 30.2 billion, between 2007 and 2014, not considering inflation effects. That means a real increase of 290.4%. In the same period, the gross revenue of trade sales by shopping television channels rose from R$ 3.7 billion to R$ 12.6 billion, also in real figures, which means na increase of 236.3%. The gross revenue of retail sales, including all the types of trade, recorded real increase of 86.5%, going from R$ 753.3 billion, in 2007, to R$ 1.4 trillion, in 2014.

The sales in shops, gas stations, supermarket boxes, barns, storehouses, warehouses, etc prevails is predominant in retail trade, but had its participation in gross revenue reduced between 2007 (96.¨%) and 2014 (95.9%). Online sales doubled participation (from 1.0% to 2.2% in the period), whereas sales on television increased almost at the same level (from 0.5% to 0.9%).

On the other hand, other forms of commercialization (kiosks and trailers, mailing, door to door sales, mobile sales units, street vendors, etc.) had their participation reduced in the period (from 1.6% to 1.0%).

Between 2007 and 2014, retail trade increased participation in the trade revenue (from 39.8% to 43.4%). On the other hand, wholesale trade fell (from 44.9% to 44.4%), and trade of vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (from 15.4% to 12.2%).

From 2013 to 2014, the retail trade of new products had the biggest rise of salaries

From 2013 to 2014, among the comercial activities analyzed by PAC, the biggest rise of the average real salary (19.7%, reaching R$ 1,000, in 2014) was observed in the retail trade of other new products (including the retail trade of jewelry, watches, precious metals, souvenirs, costume jewelry; art objects, live animals, office equipment, articles for parties, burial services and sex shop articles, etc.).

This activity, which pays relatively low compensation, also recorded the biggest increase in the anual wage bill (21.5%). The activity with the biggest increase in terms of employed persons was wholesale trade of paper and cardboard for general use and for packaging (14.2%).

In 2014, retail employed most people among all comercial segments

In 2014, retail accounted for 73.7% of the persons employed in trade, due to its big number of companies (1.3 million or 78.8% of the total) and local branches (1.4 million or 78.6% of the total). For this reason, retail trade paid 62.9% of the compensation (R$ 117.2 billion). Nevertheles, retail paid the lowest average salary (R$ 1,143, versus R$ 2,058 in wholesale trade and R$ 1,574 in otor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles).

The participation of wholesale in the net revenue (44.4%) of trade surpassed that of retail trade (43.4%). The trade margin (difference between the net revenue of sales and the cost of goods) of retail was R$ 367.9 billlion (54.1%% of the total), above the results of the two other sectors (37.3% wholesale and 8.6% for motor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles).

53.5% of the trade workers were in companies with up to 19 employed persons

In 2014, companies with up to 19 employed persons paid most of the salaries (R$ 70.9 billion or 38.1%), since they held 53.5% of the workers (5.7 million) and 96.3% of the companies (1.6 milllion) in trade. Mas as maiores receitas operacionais líquidas vieram de empresas com 500 ou mais pessoas ocupadas (R$ 949,8 bilhões ou 31,9%).

Trade of vehicles had na average of 13 employed persons per company in 2014

In 2014, among the three trade activities in motor vehicles piedces and motorcycles, vehicles got 67.5% (236.8 billion) of the net revenue from this share, and employed 31.9% of the workers (305.5 thousand) in 15.8% of the companies (23.9 thousand). The sector of pieces for vehicles generated 26.2% of the revenue, but paid 46.2% (R$ 9.1 billion) of compensation abd led in terms of employed persons (57.6% or 551.7 Thousand persons) and companies (71.7% or 108.6 thousand).

The activity of motor vehicles had the biggest average of employed persons per company (13), the highest average wage (3.1 minimum wages per month) and the biggest productivity (R$ 74,454), which is the division of value added by the number of employed persons. Nevertheless, the resale of pieces for vehicles had the highest trade margin. (42.1%).

The biggest revenue of wholesale trade in 2014 came from fuels and lubricants

In 2014, the main activity in net revenue in the trade segment was fuels and lubricants, with R$ 310.9 billion (24.4%). The revenue from this activity had real increase of 10.1% and accounted for the biggest contribution (1.0 p.p.) to the incresae of trade revenue.

In wholesale, the leader in compensation was machinery and equipment (R$ 8.7 billion, or 17.7% of the total), whereas the activity food products, beverages and tobacco had more employed persons (420.5 thousand or 22.7% of the total).

In 2014, wholesale resale of goods in general and of fuels had the biggest averages per company (43 and 24 respectively) and wholesale of pharmaceutical products, the highest hike in terms of trade margin (58.3%).

Hyper and supermarkets generate highest revenue of trade varejista

In 2014, the biggest revenue of resale in the retail trade was that of hyper and supermarkets (R$ 310.6 billlion or 24.3% of the segment). The highest compensation were paid by hyper and supermarkets (R$ 19.9 billlion or 17.0%), with department stores, household articles and furniture (16.5%) and the trade of textiles, wearing apparel and footwear (15.7%), in second place.

The average number of companies in hyper and supermarkets (131) surpassed all those of other types. the vice leader, fuels and lubricants, had 12 employed persons per company.

Southeast is the leader in terms of revenue, withdrawals, number of units amd employed persons

In 2014, the Southeast prevailed regarding the main variables: gross revenue of sales (R$ 1.7 trilllion or 51.1% of the total); compensation (R$ 103.4 billlion or 55.5%); employed persons (5.5 milllion or 51.2%) and local branches (868.6 thousand or 48.4%). The Southeast also paid the highest monthly wage (2.0 minimum wages), above the average in the country (1.9). Among the other regions, one reached the same average and other four were below that: South (1.9) Central West (1.8), North (1.8) and Northeast (1.4).