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Loss Leading as an Exploitative Practice

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Zhijun Chen
  • Patrick Rey

Abstract

We show that large retailers, competing with smaller stores that carry a narrower range, can exercise market power by pricing below cost some of the products also offered by the smaller rivals, in order to discriminate multistop shoppers from one-stop shoppers. Loss leading thus appears as an exploitative device rather than as an exclusionary instrument, although it hurts the smaller rivals as well; banning below-cost pricing increases consumer surplus, rivals' profits, and social welfare. Our insights extend to industries where established firms compete with entrants offering fewer products. They also apply to complementary products such as platforms and applications. (JEL L11, L13, L81)

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File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/aer.102.7.3462
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File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/aer/data/dec2012/20101524_app.pdf
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Article provided by American Economic Association in its journal American Economic Review.

Volume (Year): 102 (2012)
Issue (Month): 7 (December)
Pages: 3462-3482

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Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:102:y:2012:i:7:p:3462-82
Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.102.7.3462
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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
  • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
  • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Farrell, Joseph & Katz, Michael L, 2000. "Innovation, Rent Extraction, and Integration in Systems Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 413-432, December.
  2. Inderst, Roman & Wey, Christian, 2007. "Buyer power and supplier incentives," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 647-667, April.
  3. Gijsbrechts, E. & Campo, K. & Nisol, P., 2005. "Beyond Promotion-Based Store Switching : Antecedents and Consequences of Systematic Multiple-Store Shopping," Discussion Paper 2005-76, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
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  8. Roman Inderst & Tommaso M. Valletti, 2011. "Buyer Power And The ‘Waterbed Effect’," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 1-20, 03.
  9. Choi, Jay Pil & Stefanadis, Christodoulos, 2001. "Tying, Investment, and the Dynamic Leverage Theory," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 32(1), pages 52-71, Spring.
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  13. Weinstein, Jonathan & Ambrus, Attila, 2008. "Price dispersion and loss leaders," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 3(4), December.
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  19. Allain Marie-Laure & Chambolle Claire, 2005. "Loss-Leaders Banning Laws as Vertical Restraints," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, February.
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  21. repec:hrv:faseco:4685158 is not listed on IDEAS
  22. Walsh, Patrick Paul & Whelan, Ciara, 1999. "Loss leading and price intervention in multiproduct retailing: welfare outcomes in a second-best world1," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 333-347, September.
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Blog mentions

As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
  1. “Loss Leading as an Exploitative Practice,” Z. Chen & P. Rey (2012)
    by afinetheorem in A Fine Theorem on 2013-07-12 04:27:32
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