1. OECD Surveys on Measuring the digital Economy
Task Force on Price and Volumes
10-11 October 2017, Luxembourg
Jennifer Ribarsky
Head of Section, National Accounts Division, STD

2. Survey of Digital Economy Typology

3. Survey of Digital Economy Typology
22 Responses
Advisory Group on Measuring GDP in a Digitalised Economy
Consists of 38 members: NSOs, Eurostat, IMF, and members of the OECD WP on Measurement and Analysis of the Digital Economy (WPMADE)
Members of Task Force on Price and Volumes
Survey content
Initial framework based on digital trade framework
Questions on country practices with regards to digital intermediaries
Identifying data gaps
How to highlight the digital economy

4. Digital intermediaries (1)
Gross or net recording of transactions facilitated by digital intermediaries varies
Depends on business operating model (receives intermediation fee or the full amount and deduct costs)
Probably varies by type of activity
Classification does not appear to be consistent across countries
Some classify with the provider of the services
Some said it depends on how the transaction is arranged

5. Digital intermediaries (2)
Digital intermediary is often resident abroad
Identified as an important data gap
Many noted currently not reflected in trade data
Difficult to obtain relevant information because countries do not collect information from non- resident providers
Possible sources: credit card information, household surveys, and administrative records

6. Price measurement: Streaming Services
Few take into account the change in the offered contents as a change in quality (5 yes; 13 no)
Why not take into account?
This type of service is not included in the national price index (e.g. CPI)
No data availability to make a quality adjustment
Country simply prices the monthly subscription fee.
NL questioned whether this should be considered a quality change. Does the consumer have a choice or not?
Israel, Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, UK -- yes

7. Price measurement: Accommodation Services
Few include accommodations booked through digital platforms in their CPI (Yes: 4; No: 15)
Denmark noted that these transactions are considered as transactions between households and thus not included.
Sweden said that these are not currently included, but that it is being considered
The transaction (apart from the digital based facilitation services) is C2C
Depending on how the transaction is recorded, the bulk of the value remains within the same sector (HH)
Australia, Israel, UK, Us

8. Price measurement: Transportation Services
Few include transportation services booked through digital platforms in their CPI (Yes 3; No 16)
Denmark noted that these transactions are considered as transactions between households and thus not included.
Sweden said that these are not currently included, but that it is being considered
drivers have a registered business and therefore there is inter sectorial flows
Australia, UK, US

9. Bonus Slides! OECD-IMF Survey of Impact of the Digital Economy on Price Indices

10. E-commerce transactions in CPI
Profile
CPI Prices
CPI weights
Number of OECD countries
Domestic e-commerce
Cross-border e-commerce
Profile 1
Yes 13
Profile 2 No 9
Profile 3 7
Profile 4 1
Profile 5
Profile 6
6 country profiles among OECD countries can therefore be identified according to whether or not CPI prices and/or CPI weights for domestic and/or cross-border e-commerce are covered. Table 3 summarizes these e-commerce transactions country profiles for CPI.
Profile 1: E-commerce transaction is covered for both prices and weights and for both Domestic and cross-border e-commerce (13 OECD countries);
Profile 2: E-commerce transaction is covered for both prices and weights for Domestic e-commerce only (9 countries); cross-border-commerce is excluded (9 OECD countries);
Profile 3: E-commerce transaction is covered for both prices and weights for Domestic e-commerce; Cross-border e-commerce is covered for CPI weights only (7 OECD countries);
Profile 4: E-commerce transaction is covered by CPI weights only for both Domestic and cross-border e-commerce; No price data collection (1 OECD country);
Profile 5: E-commerce transaction is covered by CPI weights only for Domestic e-commerce only (1 country); No prices data collection (1 OECD country);
Profile 6 – E-commerce transaction is not covered (1 OECD country)

11. E-commerce transactions in PPI
Profile
PPI Prices
PPI weights
Number of OECD Countries
Domestic e-commerce
Cross-border e-commerce
Profile 1
Yes 8
Profile 2 No 4
Profile 3 1
Profile 4 6
Profile 5
Profile 6 10

12. Way forward

13. Going Digital Horizontal Project
OECD’s project “Going Digital”, making the transformation work for growth and well-being
Multidisciplinary, cross-cutting initiative to help policymakers better understand the digital transformation that is taking place
Measurement is a key horizontal module: Developing new tools and a longer-term agenda for measuring the digital transformation
Co-leads: STD, STI, and TAD
Other directorates: CTP, ELS,GOV
CSSP mandate to create an Advisory Group on Measuring GDP in a Digital Economy

14. Way forward Further research into potential sources of mismeasurement:
Active involvement in G20 work, jointly with IMF
Follow-up work on impact on other macroeconomic statistics, in particular on CPIs: March 2018
Country presentations on the digital and sharing economy at WPNA 9-10 November 2017
Work plan of OECD Advisory group:
Typology of digital economy
Meeting of the AG 10 November 2017
Proposal for an agreed satellite account
Research into potential data sources
Indicators to better highlight the digital economy

15. Thank you!