1. Contact | ||||||||||||
1.1 Contact organisation | ||||||||||||
National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) | ||||||||||||
1.2 Contact organisation unit | ||||||||||||
Retail trade unit (SER/A) | ||||||||||||
1.3 Contact name | ||||||||||||
1.4 Contact person function | ||||||||||||
1.5 Contact mail address | ||||||||||||
Viale Liegi, 13 - 00198 Rome | ||||||||||||
1.6 Contact email address | ||||||||||||
1.7 Contact phone number | ||||||||||||
1.8 Contact fax number | ||||||||||||
2. Metadata update | ||||||||||||
2.1 Metadata last certified | ||||||||||||
30/04/2015 | ||||||||||||
2.2 Metadata last posted | ||||||||||||
08/05/2015 | ||||||||||||
2.3 Metadata last update | ||||||||||||
08/05/2015 | ||||||||||||
3. Statistical presentation | ||||||||||||
3.1 Data description | ||||||||||||
Indici delle vendite al dettaglio (Retail trade indicators). Data on monthly retail trade value, with reference to the main retail trade activities as in NACE Rev.2. | ||||||||||||
3.2 Classification system | ||||||||||||
NACE Rev. 2. | ||||||||||||
3.3 Coverage - sector | ||||||||||||
Activities covered: Groups 47.1, 47.2, 47.3, 47.4, 47.5, 47.6, 47.7 and 47.9 of NACE Rev. 2. In Group 47.7 class 47.79 is partially covered. Size classes covered: Enterprises of all sizes are covered. | ||||||||||||
3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions | ||||||||||||
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3.5 Statistical unit | ||||||||||||
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3.6 Statistical population | ||||||||||||
Retail trade enterprises classified in NACE Rev.2 G47. Group G478 and class G4726 are excluded. | ||||||||||||
3.7 Reference area | ||||||||||||
National level | ||||||||||||
3.8 Coverage - Time | ||||||||||||
This survey was carried out for the first time in 1991. Series of index with base 2010=100 start from January 2000. | ||||||||||||
3.9 Base period | ||||||||||||
The current base year is 2010. | ||||||||||||
4. Unit of measure | ||||||||||||
Euro, data are disseminated as index. | ||||||||||||
5. Reference Period | ||||||||||||
Calendar month. | ||||||||||||
6. Institutional Mandate | ||||||||||||
6.1 Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements | ||||||||||||
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6.2 Institutional Mandate - data sharing | ||||||||||||
Not available. | ||||||||||||
7. Confidentiality | ||||||||||||
7.1 Confidentiality - policy | ||||||||||||
Confidentiality provisions are explicitly stated in the ISTAT President’s letter attached to data collection questionnaire along with references to different acts on statistics. Links to relevant acts on statistics are presented on the website of Sistan - National Statistical System (http://www.sistan.it/index.php?id=203). | ||||||||||||
7.2 Confidentiality - data treatment | ||||||||||||
Confidential data are aggregated before being disseminated. | ||||||||||||
8. Release policy | ||||||||||||
8.1 Release calendar | ||||||||||||
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8.2 Release calendar access | ||||||||||||
Press release calendar: http://www.istat.it/en/information/journalists/press-room-calendar Press releases: http://www.istat.it/en/products/press-releases | ||||||||||||
8.3 Release policy - user access | ||||||||||||
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9. Frequency of dissemination | ||||||||||||
Monthly | ||||||||||||
10. Accessibility and clarity | ||||||||||||
10.1 Dissemination format - News release | ||||||||||||
The monthly press release "Commercio al dettaglio" publishes data and technical explanatory notes about the data. The press release is disseminated on the internet (http://www.istat.it/) | ||||||||||||
10.2 Dissemination format - Publications | ||||||||||||
Data are made available also through a statistical yearbook: Annuario Statistico Italiano (Italian version only) | ||||||||||||
10.3 Dissemination format - online database | ||||||||||||
Monthly data are also available in the I.stat datawarehouse. The on-line database I.Stat is open and free, statistics are organised by theme in a two-level hierarchical tree. Data are presented in aggregate form in multidimensional tables; acting on variables, reference periods and the arrangement of heads and sides users can create custom tables and graphs. The system can be searched by keyword, theme and region. | ||||||||||||
10.4 Dissemination format - microdata access | ||||||||||||
Validated microdata are stored in the repository of the Institute, ARMIDA. Microdata are released for research purposes in compliance with the principle of statistical secrecy and protection of personal data. | ||||||||||||
10.5 Dissemination format - other | ||||||||||||
Data are transmitted to Eurostat for both uses: European aggregates and for the dissemination of national data in Eurostat's dissemination. | ||||||||||||
10.6 Documentation on methodology | ||||||||||||
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10.7 Quality management - documentation | ||||||||||||
A description of methodology and sources used is contained in the Information System for Survey Documentation and Quality Control (Siqual: http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/lang.do?language=UK). This system manages qualitative information related to each single phase of a survey's production process (retail trade: http://siqual.istat.it/SIQual/visualizza.do?id=0109600). The following tools can be useful and relevant for Institutions belonging to the Italian National Statistical System, as well as for researchers and also, in a broadly way, for data users: the Quality Guidelines for Statistical Processes (http://www.istat.it/en/tools/data-quality/guidelines), the Information System on Quality (Siqual) and Quality Audits (http://www.istat.it/en/tools/data-quality/audit). | ||||||||||||
11. Quality management | ||||||||||||
11.1 Quality assurance | ||||||||||||
Istat quality policy is coherent with the European framework developed by Eurostat, taking up its main principles and definitions. Further details are available on: http://www.istat.it/en/about-istat/quality | ||||||||||||
11.2 Quality management - assessment | ||||||||||||
The trade-off between timeliness (fundamental for STS data) and accuracy must be considered. Any initiative in favor of the overall quality of the survey process and data produced is considered and, if possible, carried out. | ||||||||||||
12. Relevance | ||||||||||||
12.1 Relevance - User Needs | ||||||||||||
The production of Retail trade indexes for Italy is carried out in order to meet the needs of both national and international users. National users are mainly researchers, economists, trade unions, sectorial institutions. International users are Eurostat, FMI; ECB; OECD, researchers. | ||||||||||||
12.2 Relevance - User Satisfaction | ||||||||||||
User satisfaction can be evaluated on the basis of communications (formal or informal) and exchanges of information. The overall satisfaction is good. | ||||||||||||
12.3 Completeness | ||||||||||||
The following activities are not covered: Retail trade of tobacco products in specialized stores (NACE 4726), Retail trade via stalls and markets (NACE 478) | ||||||||||||
13. Accuracy | ||||||||||||
13.1 Accuracy - overall | ||||||||||||
Data are collected by a sample of retail trade enterprises, stratified according to the main economic activity (NACE classes and fifth digit for the Italian version of the classification), and size. The sample is selected in order to minimize sampling error. The accuracy overall is an important goal, that is pursued also by reducing as much as possible non¿sampling errors and analyzing revisions. In order to guarantee a good level of coverage and to reduce burden on respondents, the sample is annually updated, according to the latest edition of the Business Register. Nonresponse is handled by imputation methods, which take into consideration both longitudinal and cross¿sectional data. Measurement errors are not frequent. Extended follow up actions are made in order to reduce non responses. In addiction, some analyses are being carried out on the possible use of administrative data.
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13.2 Sampling error | ||||||||||||
The sample consists of two parts: all units of the frame with more than 49 persons employed and a sample of units with less than 50 persons employed. A measure for sampling error is not available at the moment. | ||||||||||||
13.3 Non-sampling error | ||||||||||||
Non sampling error is controlled through specific procedures: constant follow up actions, support to help units with the questionnaire compilation, use of automatic tools (i.e. applications) developed to check data. Particular attention is addressed to larger units. Anyway, taking into consideration the huge amount of small retail trade enterprises in Italy, units with a small number of persons employed are also monitored and supported for the correct data transmission. Revisions are mainly due to new information (late respondents) and to changes in data of single enterprises. | ||||||||||||
14. Timeliness and punctuality | ||||||||||||
14.1 Timeliness | ||||||||||||
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14.2 Punctuality | ||||||||||||
All the scheduled releases are delivered on time. | ||||||||||||
15. Coherence and comparability | ||||||||||||
15.1 Comparability - geographical | ||||||||||||
Not applicable, only national level. | ||||||||||||
15.2 Comparability - over time | ||||||||||||
Data on main aggregates are comparable since 1995. When changes in source data, methodology, and statistical techniques are introduced, time series are back-casted as far back as reasonably possible. | ||||||||||||
15.3 Coherence - cross domain | ||||||||||||
Comparisons with structural business statistics data and estimates from non official sources are made. | ||||||||||||
15.4 Coherence - internal | ||||||||||||
Internal coherence between aggregates is verified. | ||||||||||||
16. Cost and Burden | ||||||||||||
8 persons work at ISTAT on retail trade indicators. | ||||||||||||
17. Data revision | ||||||||||||
17.1 Data revision - policy | ||||||||||||
Revisions are usually due to: new information available and change of base year. In case of exceptional revisions due to error correction a prompt communication is given both to Eurostat and on the Istat website. | ||||||||||||
17.2 Data revision - practice | ||||||||||||
Major changes in methodology, sources and statistical techniques are announced in ad hoc publications. Advance notification of methodological changes is also provided through seminars and papers disseminated throughout the scientific community. Monthly revisions are also scheduled and concern both indexes transmitted to Eurostat and indexes nationally released. These kind of revisions are due to the inclusion in the calculation of additional information (i.e. late respondents). | ||||||||||||
18. Statistical processing | ||||||||||||
18.1 Source data | ||||||||||||
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18.2 Frequency of data collection | ||||||||||||
Data are collected monthy. | ||||||||||||
18.3 Data collection | ||||||||||||
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18.4 Data validation | ||||||||||||
Data collected are recorded in a database and, before being validated, are checked using several tools available in the survey information system. Checks are made considering the coherence of data with respect to the whole dataset. Checks using historical data are also carried out. Before data transmission to Eurostat file format, code lists and consistency are checked by automatic procedures. | ||||||||||||
18.5 Data compilation | ||||||||||||
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18.6 Adjustment | ||||||||||||
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19. Comment | ||||||||||||
None. |