What Foot Traffic Reveals About Demand

Alexander Tan

Econ Focus, 2026, vol. 26, issue Q3

Abstract: How do economists measure sudden changes to demand and estimate how firms respond to those shocks? In manufacturing, factories and warehouses generate detailed records of production, making it easier to trace changes to supply and demand. But in the business-to-consumer economy — which adds more value to GDP than manufacturing and accounts for about one-third of U.S. employment — demand is intrinsically determined by the flow of customers, which is influenced by various factors.

Keywords: household and consumer finance; Production and Investment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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