IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/bjafio/v6y2008i1n8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Search Costs in Identity-Preserved Agricultural Markets

Author

Listed:
  • Reimer Jeffrey J

    (Oregon State University)

Abstract

Many industries have "match-maker" institutions that help agents make links to one another by reducing search costs. Such institutions are now emerging in niche farm and food markets. In this study I provide an explanation for such institutions with a theoretical model of a niche market channel involving a small producer, retailer, and variety-loving consumer. I focus on the process by which producers are connected to retailers, and show that search costs between producers and retailers can be an important fixed cost of entry. Reduced search costs result in a larger number of matches, and facilitate the growth of niche market channels selling on the basis of producer identity. I examine the role of consumer preferences, retailer bargaining power, and other key features of these markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Reimer Jeffrey J, 2008. "Search Costs in Identity-Preserved Agricultural Markets," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-20, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bjafio:v:6:y:2008:i:1:n:8
    DOI: 10.2202/1542-0485.1230
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2202/1542-0485.1230
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2202/1542-0485.1230?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:dgr:umamer:2002022 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Michael Spence, 1976. "Product Selection, Fixed Costs, and Monopolistic Competition," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 43(2), pages 217-235.
    3. Thomas Ziesemer, 2003. "Information and Communication Technology as Technical Change in Matching and Production," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 79(3), pages 263-287, July.
    4. repec:dgr:umamer:2001024 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Beath,John & Katsoulacos,Yannis, 1991. "The Economic Theory of Product Differentiation," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521335263, Enero-Abr.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jeffrey J. Reimer & Xin Zhang, 2018. "An economic model of search and matching in international trade," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 784-800, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jeffrey J. Reimer & Xin Zhang, 2018. "An economic model of search and matching in international trade," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 784-800, September.
    2. Sodano, Valeria & Hingley, Martin, 2007. "Channel Management and differentiation strategies: A case study from the market for fresh produce," 105th Seminar, March 8-10, 2007, Bologna, Italy 7869, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. ., 2013. "Market niches, competition and economic performance: more clues from ecology?," Chapters, in: Competition, Diversity and Economic Performance, chapter 8, pages 160-182, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Tarek Selim, 2004. "Endogenous quality choice: price and quantity competition," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 28(3), pages 1.
    5. Simon P. Anderson & Stephen Coate, 2000. "Market Provision of Public Goods: The Case of Broadcasting," NBER Working Papers 7513, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. de Groot, Henri L. F. & Nahuis, Richard, 1998. "Taste for diversity and the optimality of economic growth," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(3), pages 291-295, March.
    7. Alcala, Francisco & Gonzalez-Maestre, Miguel, 2005. "Artistic creation and intellectual property," MPRA Paper 1287, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 17 Dec 2006.
    8. Emanuele Forlani & Ralf Martin & Giordano Mion & Mirabelle Muûls, 2023. "Unraveling Firms: Demand, Productivity and Markups Heterogeneity," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(654), pages 2251-2302.
    9. Leslie Reinhorn, 2012. "Optimal taxation with monopolistic competition," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(2), pages 216-236, April.
    10. Todd D. Gerarden & Richard G. Newell & Robert N. Stavins, 2017. "Assessing the Energy-Efficiency Gap," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(4), pages 1486-1525, December.
    11. Hassan Molana & Catia Montagna & Chang Yee Kwan, 2012. "Subsidies As Optimal Fiscal Stimuli," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(Supplemen), pages 149-167, December.
    12. Raphael Bergoeing & Timothy J. Kehoe, "undated". "Trade Theory and Trade Facts," ILADES-UAH Working Papers inv129, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business.
    13. David Rezza Baqaee & Emmanuel Farhi & Kunal Sangani, 2024. "The Darwinian Returns to Scale," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 91(3), pages 1373-1405.
    14. repec:lic:licosd:37215 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Richard A. Brecher & Zhiqi Chen, 2014. "Unemployment and welfare consequences of international outsourcing under monopolistic competition," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(2), pages 540-554, May.
    16. Bagwell, Kyle & Lee, Seung Hoon, 2020. "Trade policy under monopolistic competition with firm selection," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    17. Martin Gaynor, "undated". "What Do We Know About Competition and Quality in Health Care Markets?," GSIA Working Papers 2006-E62, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    18. Aseem Kaul & Jiao Luo, 2018. "An economic case for CSR: The comparative efficiency of for‐profit firms in meeting consumer demand for social goods," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(6), pages 1650-1677, June.
    19. repec:dgr:rugsom:99c19 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Gehrig, Thomas & Jackson, Matthew, 1998. "Bid-ask spreads with indirect competition among specialists," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 89-119, April.
    21. Awada, Lana & Yiannaka, Amalia, 2012. "Consumer perceptions and the effects of country of origin labeling on purchasing decisions and welfare," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 21-30.
    22. Scatasta, Sara & Wesseler, Justus & Hobbs, Jill E., 2005. "The Impact of Labeling Practices on Perceived Quality of GM Food Products: A Revealed Preferences Approach," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24599, European Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:bjafio:v:6:y:2008:i:1:n:8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyterbrill.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.