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The role of consumers in competition and competition policy

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Author Info
Waterson, Michael

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Abstract

This paper develops the idea that consumers’ behavior matters significantly from the viewpoint of industry performance. This is examined through some theoretical propositions, but then at greater length by means of some case study examples. These examples demonstrate how, even in potentially competitive industries, reluctance on the part of consumers to search or to switch suppliers can lead to a sub-competitive outcome. The significance of non-traditional competition policy remedies in changing the outcome is drawn out.

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File URL: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/workingpapers/publications/twerp607.pdf
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Paper provided by University of Warwick, Department of Economics in its series The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) with number 607.

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Length: 26 pages
Date of creation: 2001
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:607

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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.:
  1. Albaek, Svend & Mollgaard, Peter & Overgaard, Per B, 1997. "Government-Assisted Oligopoly Coordination? A Concrete Case," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 45(4), pages 429-43, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Klemperer, Paul, 1995. "Competition When Consumers Have Switching Costs: An Overview with Applications to Industrial Organization, Macroeconomics, and International Trade," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 62(4), pages 515-39, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Waterson, Michael, 2003. "Consumers and Competition," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 679, University of Warwick, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Moshkin, N. & Shachar, R., 2000. "Switching Costs or Search Costs?," Papers 3-2000, Tel Aviv.
  5. Stahl, Dale O, II, 1989. "Oligopolistic Pricing with Sequential Consumer Search," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(4), pages 700-712, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Cited by:
(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.)

  1. Evens SALIES, 2005. "The effect on retail charges of mergers in the GB electricity market," Econometrics 0506001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  2. Marc Pomp & Victoria Shestalova, 2007. "Switching Costs in Netherlands Energy Markets: Can Liberalisation Bring Benefits to Small Customers?," De Economist, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 305-321, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Stephen Martin & Paola Valbonesi, 2006. "The State Aid Game," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0024, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno". [Downloadable!]
  4. Wilson, Chris M, 2009. "Market Frictions: A Unified Model of Search and Switching Costs," MPRA Paper 13672, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  5. Jackie Krafft & Evens Salies, 2008. "Why and how should innovative industries with high consumer switching costs be re-regulated?," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2008-13, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Evens Salies, 2006. "Mergers in the GB electricity market: effects on retail charges," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2006-08, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE). [Downloadable!]
  7. Saul Lach & José Luis Moraga-González, 2009. "Asymmetric Price Effects of Competition," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 09-049/2, Tinbergen Institute. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. von der Fehr, Nils-Henrik M. & Hansen, Petter Vegard, 2008. "Electricity Retailing in Norway," Memorandum 02/2009, Oslo University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Amin, Mohammad, 2008. "Competition and demographics," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4514, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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