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Sales, Quantity Surcharge, and Consumer Inattention

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  • Courty, Pascal
  • Clerides, Sofronis

Abstract

Quantity surcharges occur when firms market a product in two sizes and offer a promotion on the small size: the large size then costs more per unit than the small one. When quantity surcharges occur the sales of the large size decrease only slightly despite the fact that the small size is a cheaper option - a clear arbitrage opportunity. This behavior is consistent with the notion of rationally inattentive consumers that has been developed in models of information frictions. We discuss implications for consumer decision making, demand estimation, and firm pricing.

Suggested Citation

  • Courty, Pascal & Clerides, Sofronis, 2010. "Sales, Quantity Surcharge, and Consumer Inattention," CEPR Discussion Papers 8115, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:8115
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    1. Linda Thunström & Chian Jones Ritten, 2019. "Endogenous attention to costs," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Jacobsen, Grant D. & Stewart, James I., 2022. "How do consumers respond to price complexity? Experimental evidence from the power sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    3. Sofronis Clerides & Pascal Courty & Yupei Ma, 2023. "Store expensiveness and consumer saving: Insights from a new decomposition of price dispersion," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 65-94, March.
    4. Michelle Sovinsky & Liana Jacobi & Alessandra Allocca & Tao Sun, 2024. "More than Joints: Multi-Substance Use, Choice Limitations, and Policy Implications," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_501, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    5. Montinari, Natalia & Runnemark, Emma & Wengström, Erik, 2017. "Self-Scanning and Self-Control: A Field Experiment on Real-Time Feedback and Shopping Behavior," Working Papers 2017:15, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    6. Thiago Cacicedo, 2021. "Price discrimination and market concentration: Evidence from the laundry detergent market," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 89(6), pages 594-609, December.
    7. Graham, Charles & Khan, Kamran & Ilyas, Muhammad, 2019. "Estimating the value of passing trade from pedestrian density," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 103-111.
    8. Michelle Sovinsky & Liana Jacobi & Alessandra Allocca & Tao Sun, 2023. "More than Joints: Multi-Substance Use, Choice Limitations, and Policy Implications," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 487, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    9. Carmine Ornaghi & Mirco Tonin, 2018. "Water Tariffs and Consumers' Inaction," CESifo Working Paper Series 6990, CESifo.
    10. Salvo, Alberto, 2018. "Flexible fuel vehicles, less flexible minded consumers: Price information experiments at the pump," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 194-221.
    11. Yufeng Huang & Bart J. Bronnenberg, 2018. "Pennies for Your Thoughts: Costly Product Consideration and Purchase Quantity Thresholds," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(6), pages 1009-1028, November.
    12. Salvo, Alberto & Huse, Cristian, 2013. "Build it, but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugarcane ethanol," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 251-279.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer inattention; Nonlinear pricing; Promotions; Quantity discounts; Quantity surcharge; Sales;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D4 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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