Data collection and data sources - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Data collection

and

data sources

Slide2

Price collection is now multi-modal

Slide3

I

mportant questions to be answered

Where do consumers go to acquire the goods and services they need?

How to obtain the necessary prices and

characteristics?

W

ith

the following objectives:

O

btain

high quality information, limit the workload of data providers, be able to work with this data efficiently, limit the cost of

collection

Slide4

Price collection techniques

Price collection techniques depend on

local circumstances:

Consumer purchasing habits

Structure

of retailing, characteristics of outlets, geographical

location

Local collection: regional price collectors, usually for regional markets

with different prices throughout the

country

Central

collection: price collection by staff in head office or regional

offices, usually for difficult to observe products, central market

with identical prices throughout the

country

, collection with alternative data sources

Slide5

Basic principles of price collection

Price concept :

actual transaction price, including taxes,

deduction

of discounts if

available

to

everyone

Item

specifications

:

loose

of

tight

Frequency

depends

on the

volatility

of

prices

Period

of

price

collection to

be

maximized

Slide6

Data collection in the field:

basic

principles for a survey of high

quality

Slide7

Objectives

To show

how such a system may work the necessary measures and importance of quality assurance the advantages and disadvantages/limits of using price collectors in the field

Slide8

Essential elements for a qualitative price collection in the field

Prices collected directly in outlets by professional price collectors (outsourced or not)

Stable work distribution (for relationship and know how)Precise and well defined rules (handbook)Application of the rules must be uniform (training)

Coordination among the different price collection areas

On-site quality control

Slide9

How does it work ?

You can have your own price collectors at the statistical office

Or

you

can

outsource

,

delegate

this

task

to a

private

company

Slide10

How does it work with own price collectors ?

Slide11

How does it work with outsourcing?

Slide12

Quality assurance (QA)

QA must happen carefully

on every level of the process:During price collection in the storesIf outsourcing at the private company before and after price collectionAt the central office before and after price collection

Quality assurance is the key to a high quality CPI

Slide13

QA in the stores by price collectors

Price

collectors are asked to control each price themselvesTablet software:Compares quantities and pricesWarns price collectors in case of important changes (e.g. strong price evolution, unlikely quantity of an item etc.) Forces price collectors to add explanations in cases of relevant price/quantity changes

Controls completeness of price

reports

Free software to

download

https://github.com/FSO-PRICES/LIK-Preiserfassung/wiki

Slide14

QA by the private company

Checks data delivered by the statistical office before price collection

Helps price collectors in the case of questions / problemsto find new outlets, etc.Coordinates (uniformity of) communication between the statistical office / private company/ price collectors

Slide15

QA by the private company

Does QA on the collected price data itself, e.g.

Correct prices / COICOP position / quantities Makes sure all the prices are collectedTakes care of human resources (incl. short term absences etc.)Is responsible for training coursesFrom time to time: Accompanies price collectors in stores

Slide16

QA by the statistical office

Extensive data checks by telephone, email or internet (e.g. correct prices / COICOP-positions / quantities)

Direct communication with price collectors over software application Price collectors must revisit the outlet in case of severe errorsSpot checks in outlets right after the price collection (also by telephone or email)

Accompany price collectors to a price collection

Slide17

QA by the statistical office

Detailed monthly reporting on

problems, difficulties or other particular pointswhat to pay particular attention for next monthspecial instructionsetc.Training courses every 6 months for the price collectors

Slide18

QA by the statistical office

Price collection handbook:

Detailed rules and guidelines for price collectionCPI basketAdditional helpful information (e.g. “cheese list”)DeadlinesData transfer

Training courses

Slide19

Advantages

Uniform application of the rules and guidelines by experts (e.g. item selection and replacement, treatment of missing or seasonal items, etc.)

uniform training coursescompared to questionnaires: outlet staff not familiar with collection rules, does not have time, risk of poor data qualityDeadlines and quality of price data are guaranteed by the private company if outsourcingReduced burden of workload for the retail companies

Slide20

Advantages of outsourcing

The statistical office can focus on quality assurance, supervision and

centralised price collectionA new call for tender is issued every 5 years: pressure on the private market to deliver high quality results (at lower cost)Further tasks could be assigned to the private company:quality controls

data codification

Flexibility

in case of changes in the

survey

Slide21

Limits / disadvantages

Costly

Some product groups are better suited for centralised price collection:Highly specialized price collections (eg. PCs, rents for dwellings, drugs etc.)Product groups / retailers with identical prices throughout the country

The proportion of field surveys tends to decrease with digitization

Slide22

Conclusions

Many advantages such as uniformity, coordination, flexibility and professionalism

Quality assurance is very important at various levelImproved quality comes at the price of higher expenses

Slide23

Questions / Discussions

How do

you collect decentralised prices in

your

country and

why

?

How do

you

assure the

quality

of the data

?

Exercice :

please

check the

quality

of the

collected

prices