The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail

Question

The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before. The Post-Gazette based that conclusion on a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years: these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the Post-Gazette's conclusion?

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.
B. Many Chabberton residents do most of their shopping at stores in other towns in the vicinity of Chabberton.
C. Most of the Chabberton stores that the survey covered advertise regularly in the Chabberton Post-Gazette.
D. A separate survey of manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business last year than the year before.
E. The year before last was a year of record sales for retail stores in Chabberton, with most stores reporting their highest sales volume ever.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Accepted Answer

We see that this question presents a scenario in which the Chabberton Post-Gazette has arrived at the following conclusion:

the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before

The question then asks the following:

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the Post-Gazette's conclusion?

So, we have to find a choice that provides a reason to doubt that conclusion.

The conclusion is based on the following:

a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years: these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before

This information seems to support the conclusion, but one thing we may notice is that the sample used to support the conclusion is limited. It includes only stores "in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years." What about other stores?

Let's now go to the answer choices.

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.

This choice seems to cast doubt on the conclusion that "the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before." After all, while stores that were "in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years" may have seen declines in sales, the sales at these new stores could have added to "overall sales."

So, given what this choice says, "overall volume of sales" last year may have been similar to or greater than, rather than smaller than, the volume the year before.

Thus, this choice provides a clear reason to doubt the conclusion.

Keep this choice.

B. Many Chabberton residents do most of their shopping at stores in other towns in the vicinity of Chabberton.

This choice tells us nothing about whether sales decreased from year to year in Chabberton.

What it may do is help to explain a decrease in sales, if there was one. Maybe people in Chabberton increased the percentage of their shopping they do in other towns. However, we don't need such an explanation.

Eliminate.

C. Most of the Chabberton stores that the survey covered advertise regularly in the Chabberton Post-Gazette.

This choice could be perceived as casting doubt on the conclusion by showing that the stores are connected to the Chabberton Post-Gazette. Maybe there's some kind of collusion between the stores and the Post-Gazette to create a false picture!

Really, though, the fact that the stores advertise in the Chabberton Post-Gazette is no reason to doubt the conclusion. For one thing, there's no reason to believe that the Chabberton Post-Gazette would falsify a survey to show that stores that advertise in the Chabberton Post-Gazette experienced sales decreases.

Eliminate.

D. A separate survey of manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business last year than the year before.

This choice is a trap. If we aren't paying attention, we may get the impression that this choice conflicts with the conclusion. "Look! Business actually increased!"

Notice, however, that the conclusion is about "the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton" whereas this choice is about the volume of business done by "manufacturing businesses." The fact that manufacturing business saw an increase in business doesn't change what we know about retail sales since manufacturing business and retail sales are two different things.

Eliminate.

E. The year before last was a year of record sales for retail stores in Chabberton, with most stores reporting their highest sales volume ever.

This choice is super tricky. We may read it and think, "There it is! Sales weren't really down. They were just off record highs."

However, the conclusion is not that retail stores in Chabberton are doing poorly in general. It's that "the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before" and what this choice says does not conflict with that conclusion at all. In fact, it may help to explain why that conclusion is true. Sales were super high two years ago and have decreased to a more normal level.

Eliminate.

We see that the only choice that cast doubt on the conclusion is (A).

Answer: (A)

GMATGuruNY · Answer

This is a SAMPLING CR.
The premise is about a SAMPLE: stores that were in business both years.
The conclusion is about the WHOLE: the overall volume of sales.
A common way to weaken a sampling CR is to show that the sample does not necessarily represent the whole.

A:  Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices .
Stores offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices are likely to have a high volume of sales.
Implication:
The low sales volume for the SAMPLE (stores open both years) does not necessarily represent the sales volume for the WHOLE (all stores in Chabberton) -- WEAKENING the conclusion that the OVERALL volume of sales must have been lower.

A

Afn24 · Answer

How can the answer be A, when the question already mentions that the survey was taken of the Stores that were operating in both the 2 years?

So they did not include the new stores

Confide · Answer

You answered it yourself. Since they based the conclusion on only the stores that were operating in both years, they did not account for the new stores which gives us a reason to believe that sales might have been higher last year. For the sake of the argument, we do not have to investigate that matter even further, we only need to find a choice that casts doubt on the conclusion.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before. The Post-Gazette based that conclusion on a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years: these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the Post-Gazette's conclusion?

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.
B. Many Chabberton residents do most of their shopping at stores in other towns in the vicinity of Chabberton.
C. Most of the Chabberton stores that the survey covered advertise regularly in the Chabberton Post-Gazette.
D. A separate survey of manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business last year than the year before.
E. The year before last was a year of record sales for retail stores in Chabberton, with most stores reporting their highest sales volume ever.

The passage talks about Newspaper A that says retail sales in the area were lower last year than the year before that. This is sourced and based on Newspaper B saying that - out of the local retailers operating in both years - the total sales volume was lower last year.

We're asked to look for something that weakens this.

(A) is your answer. If new stores opened in the second year, the retail sales of those stores would not be included. Fair to say if they're "offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices", that's a positive indication they will do well when it comes to sales, too.

JoeAa · Answer

For ans A: Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.

Didn't quite get it...
A) They only count both years so those open only last year shouldn't have been counted
B) Even they are counted, it's only 'several new stores' charging higher prices, it may/may not be substantial enough to make any influence to the total sales?

Aparna2 · Answer

The Post-Gazette based that conclusion on a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years : these stores , taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before.

The premise talks about the stores operating both the past years. The conclusion also talks about the same stores as it mentions "these stores...."

so how can the new stores cast a doubt on the conclusion when they are participating neither in the premise nor in the conclusion...

Please help in clearing the doubt if i misunderstood:)

JoeAa · Answer

agreed. the answer is completely off grid.

Raman109 · Answer

Understanding the argument - 
The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before. - Conclusion 
The Post-Gazette based that conclusion on a survey of all retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years: these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before. - Fact. How they concluded.

Option Elimination - Weaken

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices. - It highlights that "The Chabberton Post-Gazette" did not take into account the sales volume for these new stores. What if these stores actually accounted for 70% of sales last year? Ok.

B. Many Chabberton residents do most of their shopping at stores in other towns in the vicinity of Chabberton. - "Other towns near Chabberton" are out of scope. We need the "retail sales in Chabberton."

C. Most of the Chabberton stores that the survey covered advertise regularly in the Chabberton Post-Gazette. - The scope of the argument is to weaken the conclusion, which is that the "overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before." Out of scope.

D. A separate survey of manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business last year than the year before. - the comparison of "manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business" has no bearing on the scope of our argument concerned with the sales of "The Chabberton Post-Gazette."

E. The year before last was a year of record sales for retail stores in Chabberton, with most stores reporting their highest sales volume ever. - Strengthener

MartyMurray · Answer

Actually, " these stores , taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before," is not the conclusion.

The conclusion is the following:

the overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before

So. the premise is about "retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years" whereas the conclusion is about "overall volume of retail sales."

Now, let's look at the correct answer:

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.

We see that the correct answer weakens the connection between the premise about "sales volume" of "retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years" and the conclusion about "overall volume of retail sales" by showing that the sales volume of "these stores" and "overall volume" are not the same.

After all, "retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years" does not include "new retail stores" that opened last year.

Thus, the correct answer casts doubt on the conclusion by showing that, even though sales at "retail stores that were in business in Chabberton throughout both of those years" declined, "overall volume of retail sales" may not have declined.

Takeaway:  Correctly identifying the conclusion of the argument is key to answering a Weaken question correctly.

Aparna2 · Answer

oww... okay now i too get it:)....was targeting in the wrong direction.
Thank you so much !

KarishmaB · Answer

CPG:
 Premise:  A survey of all retail stores that were in business throughout last year and year before that said that these stores, taken together, had a smaller sales volume last year than the year before.
(So if A, B, C and D were in business throughout both the years, their results were included. 
What was not included - stores in business the year before only and shut down last year + Stores that started last year)

Conclusion:  The overall volume of retail sales in Chabberton was lower last year than it was the year before.

Do you see a flaw here? Something that would weaken the conclusion? What if many new stores started last year and did excellent business? Then overall retail sales may have been higher last year.

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.

Correct. On the same lines as we discussed. These stores could have done good business and hence overall business could have been higher.

B. Many Chabberton residents do most of their shopping at stores in other towns in the vicinity of Chabberton.

Irrelevant. We have to compare last year with the year before. The correct option must give a point of distinction between the two.

C. Most of the Chabberton stores that the survey covered advertise regularly in the Chabberton Post-Gazette.

Irrelevant. Again, we have to compare last year with the year before. The correct option must give a point of distinction between the two.

D. A separate survey of manufacturing businesses in Chabberton shows that they did a greater volume of business last year than the year before.

Manufacturing businesses is out of scope. We are talking about retail stores - that they were not able to sell as much as the previous years. Manufacturers could have produced more but the product could be lying with the retailers.

E. The year before last was a year of record sales for retail stores in Chabberton, with most stores reporting their highest sales volume ever.

The point still remains the same - that last year, the overall volume of retail sales was lower.

Answer (A)

Gemmie · Answer

A. Last year several new retail stores opened in Chabberton, offering high quality merchandise at competitive prices.

The Post-Gazette concludes that sales volume was lower based on a survey of existing stores.

If new stores opened last year and did well (high volume, competitive prices), it suggests there might have been an overall increase in retail activity in Chabberton, even if existing stores didn't perform as well.

This new information (new stores with good sales) directly contradicts the Post-Gazette's conclusion based solely on existing stores.

Let's analyze why the other options don't significantly challenge the conclusion:

B. Chabberton residents shopping elsewhere:  This might explain lower sales in Chabberton stores, but it doesn't necessarily contradict the conclusion of a lower overall volume within Chabberton itself.

C. Advertising in the Post-Gazette:  This doesn't affect sales volume directly and therefore doesn't interfere the survey result

D. Manufacturing increase:  This doesn't directly address retail sales. While it might indicate more spending power in Chabberton, it doesn't tell us if that money is being spent at local retail stores.

E. Record sales the year before:  This provides context but doesn't necessarily negate the possibility of a decrease last year, even if it was a significant drop from a record high.

av722 · Answer

The answer is A.

A : If last year new retail stores opened offering high quality merch at competitive prices, then maybe the sales volume didn't really decrease. After all, the Post-Gazette only surveyed the retails stores  in business  both of those years, so the new stores would likely get excluded. If they were included in the survey, we could expect to see the sales volume either the same or increased (since stores offer quality merch at competitive prices). In that case, the conclusion wouldn't really make sense anymore-- Chabberton did not actually have a smaller sales volume. 
B: This strengthens. If residents are shopping at stores other than Chabberton, then it makes sense why sales volume is lower. However, this choice is set up without describing a specific time period. If this is a general trend, it doesn't offer any explanation as to why last year has lower retail sales than the year before. 
C: Not really sure what C implies. If they advertise regularly, should the sales volume be higher? Maybe, maybe not. There's no clear connection. Additionally, this describes a general trend, whereas the conclusion is comparing the retail sales over the last two years. 
D: Volume of business is not equal to sales volume, so greater volume of business needn't have anything to do with the sales volume. 
E: Pseudo-weakener. We might be tempted to think that the sales weren't actually so small last year, but the conclusion notes last year's sales  in relation  to the year before last. So it doesn't matter that the year before last had record sales.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail

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The Chabberton Post-Gazette reported that the overall volume of retail

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