How a number on the Price Board is made
Every price on the board, and every price Qbot quotes, comes from the same few rules. Here they are in plain words, so you can judge a figure before you use it.
From a shelf to a figure, in four steps
Someone reports a price
A contributor or a verified field agent says what they saw, where, and on which day. The same person, product, shop and day counts once, and each person has a daily limit of 20 prices.
The report is checked
Unusual or flagged prices wait for review. A vetted field agent's price counts straight away once it passes the same checks. Other reports count when a second person reports about the same amount, within 15%.
Enough people must agree
A price appears only when at least 2 different people have reported it in the same place in the last 14 days. This is checked at every level: country, state, LGA and area.
The typical price is worked out
It is the middle report, the median, so one extreme report cannot move it. The range is the middle half of the reports once there are five or more, and the lowest to highest before that.
Change is measured fairly
The change compares the typical price over the last 14 days with the 14 days before. It shows only when both periods have enough people behind them, so nothing is guessed.
The evidence stays attached
Next to the figure you can see how many reports and people it comes from and the date of the latest report. Qbot shows the same counts and dates under each price it quotes.
What each label means
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Typical price | The middle of the accepted reports in that place over the last 14 days. Backed by at least 2 different people. |
| Confidence: Early, Medium, High | How much is behind the figure. Medium needs at least 5 reports from 5 people. High needs at least 10 reports from 10 people. Below that it is marked Early. |
| Early reading | A recent price backed by fewer than 2 people. A guide only. Kept out of the index, forecasts and alerts. |
| Reference price | A published figure from a named source (for example an official statistics release), shown with its date when too few people have reported. It is replaced automatically once enough people report. It is never blended into contributor prices. |
| Not enough reports yet | The board shows no number rather than a weak one, and says how many more people are needed. |
Where published reference figures come from
Where fewer than 2 different people have reported a price, the board can show a published figure instead, clearly labelled Reference with its source and date. It is never presented as something a Cordelia contributor reported, and it steps aside automatically once enough people report. Our reference sources are read automatically every day and are listed here with the date of the newest figure we hold.
A worked example
The figures in this example are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not a live price.
What this is not
| Not an official statistic | It is what people saw, not a government index. Use it as a live read of the market, and use official releases for official questions. |
| Not a promise for one shop | A typical price is a middle of many shops. A particular shop can be above or below it. To check one shop, use Ask the Market and a verified agent will visit and photograph the shelf. |
| Not a forecast | Forecasts, where shown, are labelled as forecasts and are separate from the reported figure. |
| Not personal | Contributors, shops and receipts are never shown. Only combined figures leave the system. |
Questions
Is this an official price index?
No. It is what people across Nigeria, including verified Cordelia field agents, actually saw in shops, markets and on menus. Where too few people have reported, the board can show a clearly labelled reference price from a named published source, with its date. Reference prices are never mixed into contributor figures.
Why does the board say "typical price" and not "average"?
The typical price is the middle report (the median). One very high or very low report cannot pull it away from what most people paid.
How many people does it take to show a price?
At least 2 different people, in the same place, within the last 14 days. One person reporting many times counts once.
What is an early reading?
A recent price backed by fewer people than the bar. It is shown only with a clear label, kept out of the index, forecasts and alerts, and replaced by a proper price once enough people report.
Can a shop or a contributor be identified?
No. The board shows combined figures only: a typical price, a range and counts. It never shows who reported, which shop, or a receipt.
Can a price be taken back?
Yes. A contributor can remove one price, or withdraw consent and have all of theirs removed. Every figure is calculated live from the reports, so it updates straight away.
More ways to use Cordelia
Pick what fits you. Each one takes a couple of minutes to start.
Credit agents from your own site
Add one line of script to your website and Cordelia credits the agent whenever a visitor from their link signs up, orders, messages you on WhatsApp, sends a form or books. Works for any brand.
See the website trackerRun your first campaign
Set the goal, set the pay, and let verified agents deliver. You only pay for results you accept.
Open a business account