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Testing the Alchian-Allen Theorem: A Study of Consumer Behavior in the Gasoline Market

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Author Info
Robert Lawson () (Capital University)
Lauren Raymer () (University of North Carolina)

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Abstract

This paper uses a data set of daily sales at a single gasoline station over a seven year period to determine if consumers respond to relative price changes among the three grades of gasoline. Based on the reasoning of Alchian and Allen (1964) and Barzel (1976), market shares of higher quality gasoline should increase at the expense of regular grade gasoline when overall gasoline prices increase. The empirical results do not conform to this expectation. We find instead that the consumers in this sample responded to higher gasoline prices by switching to mid grade gasoline from premium grade gasoline leaving the market share of regular gasoline unchanged.

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File URL: http://economicsbulletin.vanderbilt.edu/2006/volume4/EB-06D00021A.pdf
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Publisher Info
Article provided by Economics Bulletin in its journal Economics Bulletin.

Volume (Year): 4 (2006)
Issue (Month): 35 ()
Pages: 1-6
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Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:v:4:y:2006:i:35:p:1-6

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Postal: Economics Bulletin, Department of Economics, 414 Calhoun Hall, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN 37235, USA
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Related research
Keywords: Alchian-Allen Theorem Gasoline

Find related papers by JEL classification:
D0 - Microeconomics - - General

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Sobel, Russell S & Garrett, Thomas A, 1997. "Taxation and Product Quality: New Evidence from Generic Cigarettes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(4), pages 880-87, August.
  2. Bertonazzi, Eric P & Maloney, Michael T & McCormick, Robert E, 1993. "Some Evidence on the Alchian and Allen Theorem: The Third Law of Demand?," Economic Inquiry, Oxford University Press, vol. 31(3), pages 383-93, July.
  3. Barzel, Yoram, 1976. "An Alternative Approach to the Analysis of Taxation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 84(6), pages 1177-97, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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This page was last updated on 2008-6-16.


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