Form TS01 Trade Shifts Feedback Survey

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION 
User Feedback Survey for the Annual Report on Shifts in Merchandise Trade 

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is implementing a survey to gather user feedback to 
aid in evaluating ways to improve the data presentation and analysis in its annual report on Shifts in 
Merchandise Trade.  The USITC self‐initiates this report annually under section 332(b) of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(b)).  

A. The Survey Population 
This will be a voluntary, web‐based, self‐selection survey.  Respondents will include groups alerted to 
the survey through several means such as a press release directing interested parties to the survey on 
the USITC web page.  The press release will appear on the agency’s web page and will be distributed via 
email to the agency’s pre‐existing list of self‐subscribing entities as well as a list of organizations that 
USITC staff thinks may have an interest in the report. In addition, regular users of the Shifts in 
Merchandise Trade report will be find the survey when they access that portion of the agency’s web site.   
B. Field Testing 
In October 2012, the USITC field tested the survey with regard to reporting burden, clarity of questions, 
format and scope of questions.  Individuals with the organizations presented in the table below were 
identified as participants for field testing of the survey because they are familiar with the USITC report 
and/or international trade in merchandise goods. 
Organization 
Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) 
Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) 
Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) 
Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) 
The Fertilizer Institute (FI) 
The Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) 

Below is a table summarizing the comments received from field test participants and actions taken in 
response to those comments.  Comments on the survey were received only from Steel Manufacturers 
Association, Semiconductor Industry Association, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  

Field Tester
SMA

SIA

CBP

Recommendation
The only change I’d consider would be an addendum
to Question 1… if someone marks “not timely at all”,
then what kind of turnaround time would they need for
the data/analysis to be more useful? I realize this
might be moot if the following summer is the quickest
realistic turnaround.
The first 6 questions are good but depending on the
audience, some may not be familiar with the various
sections of the report and therefore would not be able
to respond to the questions.

Comment/Solution
A follow-up question (1-b) was
added that addresses this
recommendation.

Question 8 is good in that it is open-ended and asking
for general feedback. That said, you could have a
couple more questions along these lines on general
feedback that focus that feedback, such as, is the
scope of the report appropriate for your needs, should
write ups be shorter/longer, more/less graphs, etc?
For Question #9, it might be useful to expand it
outside of trade data as well (unless you only wanted
to focus on the data). Is there unique information that
is useful? If not, for cost-cutting purposes, would it be
useful to cut out some of the analysis and focus just
on the data?

Noted. Language was added to
Question #7 to solicit feedback
on the basic scope/approach of
the report.

I’m also curious about the use of “useful” throughout
the survey, particularly Question #7. I would word it
more as a “should ITC continue following this
approach”… If not, please elaborate…As for soliciting
useful feedback, with open-ended questions asking
for “usefulness” you might get a LOT of variety in
responses if someone sits down to write it out.

Noted. The survey continues to
use the term “useful” since a
better alternative was not
evident.

Suggested question: “Why did you access Trade
Shifts?” Personally I’d be curious to know what drove
them to the Trade Shifts publication to begin with. Is
it for the data? Or a specific write-up or section
(maybe from googling key words?). That question
can probably be worded better than how I have it and
have multiple check-box option
.
Another suggested question: “How did you find out
about Trade Shifts?” What is the biggest driver to the
trade shifts reports? Is it from other colleagues? Or
they’ve “just always known about it”? Or is your
audience really first time folks that are just searching
for a key piece of information? Or is the audience the
same group of individuals? You’d have to focus
additional questions to be easily answered or else
they’d lose interest or think they are spending too
much time on it and not end up doing it.

Noted. Existing Question #3
should elicit the suggested
information on what part(s) of the
report attracted the reader.

For questions 4-6, you may want to give them options
such as “N/A”? In case they don’t read that section?

As suggested, “N/A” was added
as an option for these questions.

Noted.

A question was added to solicit
the uniqueness of the analysis as
well as the data.

Question #13 was added to the
survey, which should solicit
information on how the
respondent found the report.
Existing Question #2 should
provide information on the
frequency that respondents
access the report.

C. Reporting Burden and Projected Cost 

The reporting burden is estimated to be: 

Total number of survey respondents:   (No.)   
Frequency of response:  

(No.)   
Average completion time per survey:  (hours)   
Total burden:    

(hours)   
Total cost: 

(dollars) 

Not to exceed 250 
1 

0.25 
62.5 hours 
$4,312.50 (62.5 hours X $69/per hour)**  

**It is assumed that trade analysts read the Shifts in Merchandise report from private industry, trade 
and industry associations, and academia. The average hourly cost estimate reflects the average USITC 
employee hourly cost.  

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USITC Selective Participation Survey
Introduction to Survey
This survey seeks feedback on the USITC's web-based report: Shifts in
Merchandise Trade ("Trade Shifts"). This report traditionally includes extensive U.S.
trade data on a sector and country basis, as well as analysis of the major shifts in the
previous year's U.S. trade. The USITC has been publishing this annual report since the
1980s. However, this year the USITC is publishing only the trade data and is reviewing the
report's content and analytical aspects to improve its utility for users (and potential users).
To best provide feedback on the content of the report, it may be useful to review past
editions.

The Commission conducts such surveys in accordance with E.O. 12862, which directs
agencies to ensure their products are customer-driven and to periodically survey
customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their satisfaction
with the existing services. The Commission prepares the Trade Shifts reports under the
authority of section 332(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(b)). The results of this
survey will be used to help the USITC improve the Trade Shifts report. Your disclosure of
this information is voluntary. Your individual response will be kept confidential and will not
be publicly disclosed.
To navigate through this survey, please use the following interface buttons only:

Click the Start button to begin the survey.
Click the Back button to return to the previous page.
Click the Send Answers button to submit your survey.

Do not use your browser's Forward and Back arrows or the Enter or Backspace keys
on your keyboard to navigate; you may lose information already entered.
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1. Trade Shifts is usually published in the summer and includes trade data and analysis for the
previous year's shifts in trade. How timely is this for you?
Data:
Not timely at all

Somewhat timely

Timely

Very timely

Somewhat timely

Timely

Very timely

Analysis:
Not timely at all

1b. If your response on the timeliness of either the data or the analysis was "Not timely at all,"
when would such information be timely for you (given that trade data first becomes available in
mid-February for the previous year)?

2. How often do you access the Trade Shifts webpage?
Annually

Monthly

Weekly

Rarely

This is my first time

3. Please indicate the sections of the report you read.
Sections:
Merchandise Trade and Overall Economic
Performance
Bilateral and Regional Trade

Sectoral Trade

Sectors:
Agricultural products
Chemical and related products
Electronic products
Energy-related products
Forest products

Minerals and metals
Miscellaneous manufactures
Machinery
Transportation equipment
Textile, apparel, and footwear

4. How useful is the section on merchandise trade and overall economic performance? Rate both
categories below.
Very
useful

Useful

Somewhat
useful
Not useful

N/A

Data
Analysis
Please elaborate:

5. How useful is the section on bilateral and regional trade? Rate both categories below.
Very
useful

Useful

Somewhat
useful
Not useful

Data
Analysis
Please elaborate:

6. How useful is the section on merchandise sectors? Rate both categories below.

N/A

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Very
useful

Useful

Somewhat
useful
Not useful

Data
Analysis
Please elaborate:

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7. Traditionally, the Trade Shifts report has focused its analysis on those industries and countries
that experienced the largest shifts in trade, by value, over the previous year. Is this a useful
approach to continue?
Yes

No

Please elaborate (including alternative methods of selecting industries/countries for analysis):

8. How can we improve Trade Shifts? Please elaborate in the box below. (Please consider but don't
limit your response to report content; the quality and quantity of trade data, analysis, and
graphics; and the design and accessibility of the website.)

9. Does Trade Shifts provide unique trade analysis and data that you do not find elsewhere?
Yes No

Data
Analysis
Please elaborate:

10. What other sources of similar data and/or analysis do you use? Check all that apply.
Department of Commerce (including Census Bureau and BEA)
Trade associations
World Bank
Journals
None
Other:

11. What best describes the type of organization you represent when using Trade Shifts?
U.S. federal government (executive branch)
U.S. Congress
U.S. state or local government
U.S. trade association
U.S.-headquartered company
Other:

Non-U.S.-headquartered company
International or nongovernmental organization
Foreign government
Academia

12. What best describes how you use the information in Trade Shifts? Check all that apply.
To inform your organization's policymaking or business decisions
To stay abreast of trade trends and issues as part of your job
Academic pursuits
Personal interest
Other:

13. How did you locate the Trade Shifts website?
Search engine
Other:

USITC main page

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