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When does variety increase with quality?

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  • Basov, Suren
  • Danilkina, Svetlana
  • Prentice, David

Abstract

Casual empiricism suggests higher quality is associated with greater variety. However, recent theoretical and empirical research has either not considered this link, or has been unable to establish unambiguous predictions about the relationship between quality and variety. In this paper we develop a simple model, which predicts that for low qualities variety should be positively correlated with quality and we establish conditions under which variety will either increase or decrease with quality at higher quality levels. The monopolist uses variety to increase the profitability of price discrimination across product lines of different qualities, by increasing the likelihood consumers choose high price products among products yielding the same utility. We show that the number of varieties offered by the monopolist is greater than the social optimum. The predictions of the model are supported by an analysis of the market for cars. A wide range of car manufacturers are found to offer a hump-shaped distribution of varieties.

Suggested Citation

  • Basov, Suren & Danilkina, Svetlana & Prentice, David, 2009. "When does variety increase with quality?," MPRA Paper 13445, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:13445
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    Cited by:

    1. Suren Basov, 2009. "Monopolistic Screening with Boundedly Rational Consumers," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 85(s1), pages 29-34, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Price discrimination; product variety; bounded rationality; cars;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L62 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Automobiles; Other Transportation Equipment; Related Parts and Equipment
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • D4 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design

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