Retail price indexes, also known as consumer price indexes, are important indicators of inflation and the cost of living. They measure changes in the prices of goods and services that consumers buy at retail outlets such as supermarkets and department stores. Alternative terms for retail price indexes include consumer price indices, cost of living indexes, and inflation gauges. These terms all refer to the same basic concept and are used interchangeably by economists, policymakers, and analysts. Other related terms include wholesale price indexes, which measure changes in the prices of goods and services at the wholesale level, and producer price indexes, which measure changes in the prices of goods and services at the producer or manufacturing level.