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Indivisibilities in Distribution

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  • Thomas J. Holmes
  • Ethan Singer

Abstract

This paper develops and estimates a model of indivisibilities in shipping and economies of scale in consolidation. It uses highly detailed data on imports where it is possible to observe the contents of individual containers. In the model, ?rms are able to adapt to indivisibility constraints by using consolidation strategies and by making adjustments to shipment size. The ?rm determines the optimal number of domestic ports to use, taking into account that adding more ports lowers inland freight cost, at the expense of a higher indivisibility cost. The estimated model is able to roughly account for Walmart?s port choice behavior. The model estimates are used to evaluate how mergers or dissolutions of ?rms or countries, and changes in variety, affect indivisibility costs and inland freight costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas J. Holmes & Ethan Singer, 2017. "Indivisibilities in Distribution," Working Papers 739, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedmwp:739
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David Gomtsyan & Alexander Tarasov, 2022. "Exporting costs and multi‐product shipments," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(4), pages 990-1023, October.
    2. Giulia Brancaccio & Myrto Kalouptsidi & Theodore Papageorgiou, 2020. "Geography, Transportation, and Endogenous Trade Costs," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(2), pages 657-691, March.
    3. Cristina Herghelegiu & Evgenii Monastyrenko, 2020. "Risk and Cost Sharing in Firm-to-Firm Trade," DEM Discussion Paper Series 20-24, Department of Economics at the University of Luxembourg.
    4. Brooks, Leah & Gendron-Carrier, Nicolas & Rua, Gisela, 2021. "The local impact of containerization," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Ardelean, Adina & Lugovskyy, Volodymyr, 2023. "It Pays to be big: Price discrimination in maritime shipping," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. César Ducruet & Réka Juhász & Dávid Krisztián Nagy & Claudia Steinwender, 2019. "All Aboard: The Aggregate Effects of Port Development," Working Papers 1160, Barcelona School of Economics.
    7. Suguru Otani, 2021. "Estimating Endogenous Coalitional Mergers: Merger Costs and Assortativeness of Size and Specialization," Papers 2108.12744, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2023.
    8. Ardelean,Adina Teodora & Lugovskyy,Volodymyr & Skiba,Alexandre & Terner,David Michael, 2022. "Fathoming Shipping Costs : An Exploration of Recent Literature, Data, and Patterns," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9992, The World Bank.
    9. Giulia Brancaccio & Myrto Kalouptsidi & Theodore Papageorgiou & Nicola Rosaia, 2020. "Search Frictions and Efficiency in Decentralized Transportation Markets," NBER Working Papers 27300, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Kalouptsidi, Myrto & Brancaccio, Giulia & Papageorgiou, Theodore & Rosaia, Nicola, 2020. "Search Frictions and Efficiency in Decentralized Transport Markets," CEPR Discussion Papers 14827, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Asturias, Jose, 2020. "Endogenous transportation costs," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    12. Giulia Brancaccio & Myrto Kalouptsidi & Theodore Papageorgiou & Nicola Rosaia, 2020. "Search Frictions and Efficiency in Decentralized Transport Markets," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1010, Boston College Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Indivisibilities; Scale economies; Technological change; Walmart;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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