The Analysis of Large-scale Retail Trade Groups Customer Satisfaction: A Comparison Between CAPI and PAPI Data Collection Methods

Abstract

Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) and similar electronic survey data collection methods seem to improve both technical and economical efficiency and data quality. Compared to traditional paper and pencil interviewing (PAPI) CAPI is affected by some shortcomings yet. At the end, the selection of one among many data collection methods has to be justified in terms of a profitable ratio between scientific and organizational costs and benefits. In this paper we discuss the (quasi)experimental design arranged in order to assess the differential effects of face-to-face paper and computer assisted interviewing in terms of efficacy, efficiency and the production of non-sampling errors. The research ground is constituted by the analysis of customer satisfaction within a large-scale retail trade group owning many shops in Sicily.