Dynamic Price Competition with Network Effects

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Dynamic Price Competition with Network Effects

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Cabral, Luís M B

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Luis M B Cabral

Abstract

I consider a dynamic model of competition between two proprietary networks. Consumers die and are replaced with a constant hazard rate. Firms compete for new consumers to join their network by offering network entry prices (which may be below cost). New consumers have a privately known preference for each network. Upon joining a network, in each period consumers enjoy a benefit which is increasing in network size during that period. Firms receive revenues from new consumers as well as from consumers already belonging to their network. Using a combination of analytical and numerical methods, I discuss various properties of the equilibrium. I show that very small or very large networks tend to price higher than networks of intermediate size. I also show that, around symmetric states, the gap between the large and the small network tends to widen (increasing dominance) whereas the opposite is true (reversion to the mean) around very asymmetric states.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 6687.

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Date of creation: Feb 2008
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6687

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Other versions of this item:

Paper
- Luís Cabral, 2007. "Dynamic Price Competition with Network Effects," Working Papers 22, Portuguese Competition Authority. [Downloadable!]
- Luis Cabral, 2008. "Dynamic Price Competition with Network Effects," Working Papers 08-4, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]

Find related papers by JEL classification:
L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2008-04-12 (All new papers)
NEP-COM-2008-04-12 (Industrial Competition)
NEP-IND-2008-04-12 (Industrial Organization)
NEP-MIC-2008-04-12 (Microeconomics)
NEP-NET-2008-04-12 (Network Economics)

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

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Other versions:
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Other versions:
- Auriol, Emmanuelle & Benaim, Michel, 1999. "Standardization in Decentralized Economies," IDEI Working Papers 85, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse.
- Auriol, E. & Benaim, M., 1998. "Standardization in Decentralized Economies," G.R.E.Q.A.M. 98a30, Universite Aix-Marseille III.
Cabral, Luis M. B., 2002. "Increasing Dominance with No Efficiency Effect," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 102(2), pages 471-479, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Cabral, L., 2000. "Increasing Dominance with No Efficiency Effect," New York University, Leonard N. Stern School Finance Department Working Paper Seires 00-06, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business-.
- Luis Cabral, 2000. "Increasing Dominance With No Efficiency Effect," Working Papers 00-06, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Caplin, Andrew & Nalebuff, Barry, 1991. "Aggregation and Imperfect Competition: On the Existence of Equilibrium," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(1), pages 25-59, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
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Other versions:
- Cabral, L. & Riordan, M., 1992. "The Learning Curve, Market Dominance and Predatory Pricing," Papers 39, Boston University - Industry Studies Programme.
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Other versions:
- Beggs, Alan & Klemperer, Paul, 1990. "Multi-Period Competition with Switching Costs," CEPR Discussion Papers 436, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Jean-Jacques Laffont & Patrick Rey & Jean Tirole, 1998. "Network Competition: II. Price Discrimination," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 29(1), pages 38-56, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Other versions:
- Matthew Mitchell & Andrzej Skrzypacz, 2006. "Network externalities and long-run market shares," Economic Theory, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 621-648, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Other versions:
- Austan Goolsbee & Peter J. Klenow, 1999. "Evidence on Learning and Network Externalities in the Diffusion of Home Computers," NBER Working Papers 7329, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Farrell, Joseph & Klemperer, Paul, 2007. "Coordination and Lock-In: Competition with Switching Costs and Network Effects," Handbook of Industrial Organization, Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Joseph Farrell & Paul Klemperer, 2006. "Co-ordination and Lock-in: Competition with Switching Costs and Network Effects," Economics Papers 2006-W07, Economics Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford. [Downloadable!]
- Farrell, Joseph & Klemperer, Paul, 2006. "Coordination and Lock-In: Competition with Switching Costs and Network Effects," CEPR Discussion Papers 5798, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Full references

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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

Harbord, David & Pagnozzi, Marco, 2008. "On-Net/Off-Net Price Discrimination and 'Bill-and-Keep' vs. 'Cost-Based' Regulation of Mobile Termination Rates," MPRA Paper 14540, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]

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