Note 1 - Business and Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]

Nature of Operations [Text Block]

1. Business and Organization

The SPAR Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), is a supplier of merchandising and other marketing services throughout the United States and internationally. The Company also provides in-store event staffing, product sampling, audit services, furniture and other product assembly services, technology services and marketing research services. Assembly services are performed in stores, homes and offices while those other services are primarily performed in mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, home improvement, independent, convenience and electronics stores.

Merchandising services primarily consist of regularly scheduled, special project and other product services provided at the store level, and the Company may be engaged by either the retailer or the manufacturer. Those services may include restocking and adding new products, removing spoiled or outdated products, resetting categories "on the shelf" in accordance with client or store schematics, confirming and replacing shelf tags, setting new sale or promotional product displays and advertising, replenishing kiosks, providing in-store event staffing and providing assembly services in stores, homes and offices. Other merchandising services include whole store or departmental product sets or resets, including new store openings, new product launches and in-store demonstrations, audit services, special seasonal or promotional merchandising, focused product support and product recalls. The Company also provides technology services and marketing research services.

The Company operates in 9 countries and divides its operations into two reportable segments: its Domestic Merchandising Services Division, which provides those services in the United States of America since certain of its predecessors were formed in 1979; and its International Merchandising Services Division, which began operations in May of 2001 and provides similar merchandising, marketing and in-store event staffing services in Japan, Canada, South Africa, India, China, Australia, Mexico and Turkey.

The Company continues to focus on expanding its merchandising and marketing services business throughout the world.

The Company's Domestic Merchandising Services Division provides nationwide merchandising and other marketing services throughout the United States of America primarily on behalf of consumer product manufacturers and retailers at mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, home improvement, independent, convenience and electronics stores. Included in its clients are home entertainment, general merchandise, health and beauty care, consumer goods and food products companies.

The Company's international business in each territory outside the United States is conducted through a foreign subsidiary incorporated in its primary territory. The primary territory establishment date (which may include predecessors), the percentage of the Company's equity ownership, and the principal office location for its US (domestic) subsidiaries and each of its foreign (international) subsidiaries is as follows:

Primary Territory	Date Established	SGRP Percentage Ownership			Principal Office Location
United States of America	1979		100%		White Plains, New York, United States of America6
Japan	May 2001		100%		Tokyo, Japan
Canada	June 2003		100%		Toronto, Canada
South Africa	April 2004		51%	1	Durban, South Africa
India	April 2004		51%	2	New Delhi, India
Australia	April 2006		51%		Melbourne, Australia
Romania	July 2009		100%	3	Bucharest, Romania
China	March 2010		51%	4	Shanghai, China
Mexico	August 2011		51%		Mexico City, Mexico
Turkey	November 2011		51%	5	Istanbul, Turkey

1 In September 2012, the Company, through its subsidiary in South Africa (SGRP Meridian), entered into a joint venture agreement to expand its operations in South Africa.  SGRP Meridian owns a 51% ownership interest in the new company; CMR Meridian (Pty) Ltd. ("CMR-Meridian").  

2 In June 2011, the Company sold 49% of its interest in its Indian subsidiary to KROGNOS Integrated Marketing Services Private Limited. In March 2013, the company purchased a 51% interest in a new subsidiary in India, Preceptor Marketing Services Private Limited, which began operations in March 2013.

3 In August 2013, the Company sold its 51% ownership in Romania in its active Romania subsidiary to SPAR InfoTech, Inc. (see Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements – Related-Party Transactions). The Company continues to have one Romanian subsidiary that is 100% owned and is inactive. Also in May 2012, the Company sold its 51% ownership in one of its other Romania subsidiaries, SPAR City S.R.L, to its original Local Investor.

4 Currently the Company owns two subsidiaries in China.  One subsidiary is 100% owned and is inactive, and the second subsidiary, acquired in March 2010 and operational in August 2010, is 51% owned. In July 2011, the Company, through its active subsidiary in China (SPAR Shanghai), entered into a joint venture agreement to expand its operations in China.  SPAR Shanghai has a 75.5% ownership interest in the new company; SPAR DSI Human Resource Company.

5 In August 2011, the Company sold its 51% ownership in its original subsidiary in Turkey to its original Local Investor, and in November 2011 the Company started a new 51% owned subsidiary to compete in this important market.

6 In September 2012, the Company established a new subsidiary, National Merchandising Services, LLC, ("NMS") 51% owned by the Company, with its principal office in Georgia. In March 2013, the Company purchased general merchandising service and certain in-store audit service businesses from Market Force Information, Inc. (“MFI”).