SCANNER DATA & PRICE INDEXES. This item is unavailable.SCANNER DATA & PRICE INDEXES

The data from bar-code scanners offers a number of attractive features for economists and statisticians, because they are collected continuously, are available quickly and record prices for all items sold, not just a sample. But scanner data also presents a number of difficulties for current statistical systems. This book assesses both the promise and the challenges of using scanner data to produce economic statistics. Three papers present the results of work in progress at statistical agencies in the US, UK and Canada, including a project to incorporate scanner data into the monthly Consumer Price Index. Other papers demonstrate the potential of using scanner data to test economic theories.

Robert C. Feenstra is professor of economics at the University of California, Davis, and director of the program in international trade and investment at the NBER. Matthew D. Shapiro is professor of economics at the University of Michigan and a research associate of the NBER.