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Pricing for newly-launched experience products: Free trial or not?

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  • Niu, Baozhuang
  • Yue, Haoran
  • Luo, Huajiang
  • Shang, Weixin

Abstract

We investigate a startup firm’s incentives to offer free trial in Monopoly and Duopoly settings, and explore how free trial affects firms’ pricing decisions. We find customers’ prior belief plays a key role and the firm offers free trial only when customers’ prior belief is less than a threshold. Under competition, we show that free trial may induce intense price war. The firm is more likely to offer free trial when the competitor’s product quality is high. We also compare the effects of advertisement and free trial, finding that free trial is preferred when advertising is inefficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Niu, Baozhuang & Yue, Haoran & Luo, Huajiang & Shang, Weixin, 2019. "Pricing for newly-launched experience products: Free trial or not?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 149-176.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transe:v:126:y:2019:i:c:p:149-176
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2019.04.001
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    4. Niu, Baozhuang & Xu, Haotao & Chen, Lei, 2022. "Creating all-win by blockchain in a remanufacturing supply chain with consumer risk-aversion and quality untrust," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    5. Mao, Zhaofang & Du, Zelin & Yuan, Ruiying & Miao, Qiqi, 2022. "Short-term or long-term cooperation between retailer and MCN? New launched products sales strategies in live streaming e-commerce," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
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    7. Choi, Tsan-Ming & Liu, Na, 2019. "Optimal advertisement budget allocation and coordination in luxury fashion supply chains with multiple brand-tier products," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 95-107.

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