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Prices as Quality Signals: Evidence from the Wine Market

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  • Schnabel Hubert

    (Vereinigte Hospitien Trier)

  • Storchmann Karl

    (New York University)

Abstract

In this paper we empirically analyze whether prices serve as signals. Specifically, and following the hypothesis by Bagwell and Riordan (1991), we examine whether (1) higher quality and (2) low consumer information levels about quality are associated with prices that are above the full information equilibrium. We refer to two price samples of identical wines and analyze the difference between both. The first sample consists of prices for informed wholesalers who can taste the wines before purchase. The second sample comprises retail prices for the imperfectly informed public. We find support for the Bagwell-Riordan model, i.e., price signals respond positively to wine quality and negatively to increasing information. For our sample, the information effect by far dominates the quality effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Schnabel Hubert & Storchmann Karl, 2010. "Prices as Quality Signals: Evidence from the Wine Market," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bjafio:v:8:y:2010:i:1:n:2
    DOI: 10.2202/1542-0485.1283
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Santeramo, F G & Lamonaca, E & Nardone, G & Seccia, A, 2018. "On the Effects of Bilateral Agreements in World Wine Trade On the Effects of Bilateral Agreements in World Wine Trade," 2018 Seventh AIEAA Conference, June 14-15, Conegliano, Italy 275644, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA).
    2. B. Faye & E. Le Fur & S. Prat, 2015. "Dynamics of fine wine and asset prices: evidence from short- and long-run co-movements," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(29), pages 3059-3077, June.
    3. Santeramo, Fabio G., 2017. "On Non-Tariff Measures and Changes in Trade Routes: From North-North to South-South Trade?," 2017 International Congress, August 28-September 1, 2017, Parma, Italy 263493, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Orley Ashenfelter & Karl Storchmann, 2010. "Measuring the Economic Effect of Global Warming on Viticulture Using Auction, Retail, and Wholesale Prices," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 37(1), pages 51-64, August.
    5. Jianyu Yu & Zohra Bouamra-Mechemache & Angelo Zago, 2018. "What is in a Name? Information, Heterogeneity, and Quality in a Theory of Nested Names," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(1), pages 286-310.
    6. Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru, 2023. "Does the Tasting Note Matter? Language Categories and Their Impact on Professional Ratings and Prices," Working Papers Dissertations 105, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    7. Brunke, Henrich & Lapsley, James T. & Mueller, Rolf A.E. & Tauscher, Ludwig, 2016. ""Tested Quality In The Glass": Wine Quality Certification In Germany," Working Papers 234641, American Association of Wine Economists.
    8. Edward Oczkowski, 2016. "Analysing Firm-level Price Effects for Differentiated Products: The Case of Australian Wine Producers," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 43-62, March.
    9. Kapferer, Jean-Noël & Valette-Florence, Pierre, 2021. "Which consumers believe luxury must be expensive and why? A cross-cultural comparison of motivations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 301-313.
    10. Antonis Michis & Anna Markidou, 2013. "Determinants of retail wine prices: evidence from Cyprus," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 267-280, August.
    11. Swinnen, J. & Meloni, G. & Haeck, C., 2018. "What is the Value of Terroir? Historical Evidence from Champagne and Bordeaux," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277221, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Kapferer, Jean-Noël & Laurent, Gilles, 2016. "Where do consumers think luxury begins? A study of perceived minimum price for 21 luxury goods in 7 countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 332-340.
    13. Ying Gao & Xiangpei Hu & Qingkai Ji, 2022. "Quality signaling strategies of experience goods in online–offline channel integration," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 2967-2981, October.
    14. Saïdi, Monia & Ay, Jean-Sauveur & Marette, Stéphan & Martin, Christophe, 2020. "Willingness-to-Pay for Reshuffling Geographical Indications," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 95-111, February.
    15. Boonsaeng, Tullaya & Murova, Olga & Velikova, Natalia, 2023. "A Comparative Analysis of Changes in Consumers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Local Wines in an Emerging Wine Region," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 54(2), July.
    16. Santeramo, Fabio Gaetano & Lamonaca, Emilia & Nardone, Gianluca & Seccia, Antonio, 2018. "The Benefits of Country-specific Non-Tariff Measures in World Wine Trade," MPRA Paper 90647, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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