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Multi-product Bertrand Oligopoly with Exogenous and Endogenous Consumer Heterogeneity

Author

Listed:
  • Bernhardt Dan

    (Department of Economics, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA Department of Economics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

  • Graham Brett

    (Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics, Xiamen University, 422 Siming South Road, Siming, Xiamen, Fujian Province, 361006 China)

Abstract

We develop a spatial model in which consumers receive firm-specific location shocks and firms endogenously determine both franchise/product locations and prices. Remarkably, firms fail to profit from endogenous product-specific heterogeneity alone: while ex-post consumer heterogeneity ensures positive gross profits, competition for market share results in socially excessive product lines and zero net profits. With added exogenous taste heterogeneity, endogenous spatial heterogeneity drives profits below their levels with only taste heterogeneity. Finally, we introduce multiple product lines and show that when product costs differ across lines, firms earn positive profits as long as consumer preferences over lines are imperfectly correlated.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernhardt Dan & Graham Brett, 2015. "Multi-product Bertrand Oligopoly with Exogenous and Endogenous Consumer Heterogeneity," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 167-209, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejtec:v:15:y:2015:i:2:p:167-209:n:9
    DOI: 10.1515/bejte-2014-0031
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. de Palma, A, et al, 1985. "The Principle of Minimum Differentiation Holds under Sufficient Heterogeneity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 53(4), pages 767-781, July.
    2. Klemperer, Paul, 1992. "Equilibrium Product Lines: Competing Head-to-Head May Be Less Competitive," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(4), pages 740-755, September.
    3. Rajiv Dewan & Bing Jing & Abraham Seidmann, 2003. "Product Customization and Price Competition on the Internet," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(8), pages 1055-1070, August.
    4. Alexei Alexandrov, 2008. "Fat Products," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(1), pages 67-95, March.
      • Alexei Alexandrov, 2006. "Fat Products," Discussion Papers 1435, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
    5. Janssen, Maarten C.W. & Karamychev, Vladimir A. & van Reeven, Peran, 2005. "Multi-store competition: Market segmentation or interlacing?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 700-714, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    spatial modeling; product line competition; endogenous location; spatial heterogeneity; taste heterogeneity; franchising;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • 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

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