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Upward Pricing Pressure in Two-Sided Markets: Incorporating Rebalancing Effects

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  • Andreea Cosnita-Langlais

    (EconomiX - EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Bjørn Olav Johansen
  • Lars Sørgard

Abstract

In two-sided markets it is important to consider rebalancing effects following a merger, i.e. the impact of a change in margin on one side of the market, either due to a price change or to efficiency gains, on the pricing incentives on the other side. We propose modified versions for the indices of pricing pressure (UPP and GUPPI) that take this into account. We show that in two-sided markets where the cross-group externalities are positive the upward pricing pressure will typically be overstated if the rebalancing effect is ignored. Our approach explains why competition agencies should look at both sides of the market when assessing platform mergers

Suggested Citation

  • Andreea Cosnita-Langlais & Bjørn Olav Johansen & Lars Sørgard, 2021. "Upward Pricing Pressure in Two-Sided Markets: Incorporating Rebalancing Effects," Post-Print hal-03032755, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03032755
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2020.102692
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-03032755
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    Cited by:

    1. Joao Correia‐da‐Silva & Bruno Jullien & Yassine Lefouili & Joana Pinho, 2019. "Horizontal mergers between multisided platforms: Insights from Cournot competition," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 109-124, January.
    2. Michael Trost, 2021. "Is the Whole Greater than the Sum of Its Parts? Pricing Pressure Indices for Mergers of Vertically Integrated Firms," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 58(2), pages 235-262, March.
    3. Trost, Michael, 2018. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts: Pricing pressure indices for mergers of vertically integrated firms," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 06-2018, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    4. Eduardo Pontual Ribeiro & Svetlana Golovanova, 2020. "A Unified Presentation Of Competition Analysis In Two‐Sided Markets," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 548-571, July.
    5. Baranes, Edmond & Cortade, Thomas & Cosnita-Langlais, Andreea, 2019. "Horizontal mergers on platform markets: cost savings v. cross-group network effects?," MPRA Paper 97459, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Merger assessment; Two-sided markets; Upward Pricing Pressure;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L40 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - General
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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