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REVENUE
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
Revenue from Contract with Customer
Wesco distributes products and provides services to customers globally in various end markets within its business segments. The segments, which consist of EES, CSS, and UBS operate in the United States, Canada and various other international countries.
The following tables disaggregate Wesco’s net sales by segment and geography for the periods presented:
 Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)202120202019
Electrical & Electronic Solutions$7,621,263 $5,479,760 $4,860,541 
Communications & Security Solutions5,715,238 3,323,264 909,496 
Utility & Broadband Solutions4,881,011 3,522,971 2,588,880 
Total by segment$18,217,512 $12,325,995 $8,358,917 
 Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)202120202019
United States$13,157,866 $9,110,453 $6,234,119 
Canada 2,747,187 1,892,321 1,647,066 
Other International(1)
2,312,459 1,323,221 477,732 
Total by geography(2)
$18,217,512 $12,325,995 $8,358,917 
(1)    No individual country's net sales are greater than 10% of total net sales.
(2)    Wesco attributes revenues from external customers to individual countries on the basis of point of sale.
Due to the terms of certain contractual arrangements, Wesco bills or receives payment from its customers in advance of satisfying the respective performance obligation. Such advance billings or payments are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized as revenue when the performance obligation has been satisfied and control has transferred to the customer, which is generally upon shipment. Deferred revenue is usually recognized within a year or less from the date of the advance billing or payment. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, $35.5 million and $24.3 million, respectively, of deferred revenue was recorded as a component of other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The Company also has certain long-term contractual arrangements where revenue is recognized over time based on the cost-to-cost input method. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had contract assets of $33.4 million and $19.4 million, respectively, resulting from contracts where the amount of revenue recognized exceeded the amount billed to the customer. Contract assets are recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as a component of prepaid expenses and other current assets.
Wesco’s revenues are adjusted for variable consideration, which includes customer volume rebates, returns and discounts. Wesco measures variable consideration by estimating expected outcomes using analysis and inputs based upon historical data, as well as current and forecasted information. Variable consideration is reviewed by management on a monthly basis and revenue is adjusted accordingly. Variable consideration reduced revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 by approximately $433.4 million, $269.5 million and $106.6 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company's estimated product return obligation was $38.8 million and $38.9 million, respectively.
Billings to customers for shipping and handling are recognized in net sales. Wesco has elected to recognize shipping and handling costs as a fulfillment cost. Shipping and handling costs recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $248.3 million, $149.3 million and $71.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.