In: Economics
The Radio Shack commercial from 1989 showed a cell phone that was sale priced at $799. What type(s) of problems with measuring consumer prices is illustrated by the cell phone example? Explain.
During 1989, a cell phone costed $799.
If we use the year 1989 as a base year to estimate consumer prices with regard to mobile phones , it will lead to over estimation of consumer prices.
The technology is much improved and advanced today, the amount of production has increased, the price of a cell phone is much lower than $799 today.
If we continue to use the price at year 1989 for measuring real GDP , we will be overestimating the real
consumer price as we produce much larger amount of cell phones currently than before.
Hence, a large price multiplied by a larger quantity will give rise to an even larger consumer price.
Hence over estimation is a problem while using prices of 1989.