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Transparency In Markets For Experience Goods: Experimental Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Bastian Henze
  • Florian Schuett
  • Jasper P. Sluijs

Abstract

We propose an experimental design to investigate the role of information disclosure in the market for an experience good. The market is served by a duopoly of firms that choose both the quality and the price of their product. Consumers differ in their taste for quality and choose from which firm to buy. We compare four different treatments in which we vary the degree to which consumers are informed about quality. Contrary to theoretical predictions, firms do not differentiate quality under full information. Rather, both tend to offer products of similar, high quality, entailing more intense price competition than predicted by theory. Under no information, we observe a “lemons” outcome where quality is low. At the same time, firms manage to maintain prices substantially above marginal cost. In two intermediate treatments, quality is significantly higher than the no‐information level, and there is evidence that prices become better predictors of quality. Taken together these findings suggest that information disclosure is a more effective tool to raise welfare and consumer surplus than theory would lead one to expect. (JEL L15, C91, D82)

Suggested Citation

  • Bastian Henze & Florian Schuett & Jasper P. Sluijs, 2015. "Transparency In Markets For Experience Goods: Experimental Evidence," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 53(1), pages 640-659, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:53:y:2015:i:1:p:640-659
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12143
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Renata Hrubá, 2016. "The Perception of Information by Economic Agents on the Dairy Market," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 64(5), pages 1709-1715.
    2. Tobias J. Klein & Christian Lambertz & Konrad O. Stahl, 2016. "Market Transparency, Adverse Selection, and Moral Hazard," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(6), pages 1677-1713.
    3. Hinloopen, Jeroen & Müller, Wieland & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2014. "Output commitment through product bundling: Experimental evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 164-180.
    4. Fatas, Enrique & Morales, Antonio J. & Sonntag, Axel, 2020. "Empowering consumers to reduce corporate tax avoidance: Theory and Experiments," IHS Working Paper Series 21, Institute for Advanced Studies.
    5. Han, Johann & Kairies-Schwarz, Nadja & Vomhof, Markus, 2016. "Quality competition and hospital mergers: An experiment," Ruhr Economic Papers 609, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    6. Sören Harrs & Bettina Rockenbach & Lukas M. Wenner, 2022. "Revealing good deeds: disclosure of social responsibility in competitive markets," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(5), pages 1349-1373, November.
    7. Johann Han & Nadja Kairies‐Schwarz & Markus Vomhof, 2017. "Quality competition and hospital mergers—An experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(S3), pages 36-51, December.
    8. Hinloopen, Jeroen & Müller, Wieland & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2014. "Output commitment through product bundling: Experimental evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 164-180.
    9. Stacie A. Bosley & Sarah Greenman & Samantha Snyder, 2020. "Voluntary Disclosure And Earnings Expectations In Multi‐Level Marketing," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(4), pages 1643-1662, October.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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