IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/glecon/v13y2013i2p151-173n2.html

Can Price Dispersion Reveal Distance-Related Trade Costs? Evidence from the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Anderson Michael A.

    (Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450, USA)

  • Schaefer Kurt C.

    (Department of Economics, Calvin College, 1740 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USA)

  • Smith Stephen L. S.

    (Gordon College, Wenham, MA 01984, USA)

Abstract

We offer insights on how distance-related trade costs may best be inferred from price-dispersion measures. Using a simple spatial model of price dispersion, we argue that measures of price dispersion that are not spatially informed can mislead researchers into concluding that distance-related costs are small even when such costs are the major determinant of price dispersion. With intra-United States data on eleven goods, we find that distance-related costs are large and are indeed underestimated when inferred from standard, non-spatial, price dispersion measures. Our empirical findings have implications for studies of market integration policies (such as trade liberalization and currency unions) and the significance of economic geography.

Suggested Citation

  • Anderson Michael A. & Schaefer Kurt C. & Smith Stephen L. S., 2013. "Can Price Dispersion Reveal Distance-Related Trade Costs? Evidence from the United States," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 13(2), pages 151-173, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:glecon:v:13:y:2013:i:2:p:151-173:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/gej-2012-0026
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/gej-2012-0026
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/gej-2012-0026?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 look for a different version below or

    for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Linda L. Tesar, 2009. "Border Effect or Country Effect? Seattle May Not Be So Far from Vancouver After All," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(1), pages 219-241, January.
    2. David L. Hummels & Georg Schaur, 2013. "Time as a Trade Barrier," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(7), pages 2935-2959, December.
    3. Maurice Obstfeld & Kenneth Rogoff, 2001. "The Six Major Puzzles in International Macroeconomics: Is There a Common Cause?," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2000, Volume 15, pages 339-412, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Janet Ceglowski, 2003. "The law of one price: intranational evidence for Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(2), pages 373-400, May.
    5. Obstfeld, Maurice & Taylor, Alan M., 1997. "Nonlinear Aspects of Goods-Market Arbitrage and Adjustment: Heckscher's Commodity Points Revisited," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 441-479, December.
    6. Engel, Charles & Rogers, John H, 1996. "How Wide Is the Border?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(5), pages 1112-1125, December.
    7. Emi Nakamura & Dawit Zerom, 2010. "Accounting for Incomplete Pass-Through," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 77(3), pages 1192-1230.
    8. David Hummels & Alexandre Skiba, 2004. "Shipping the Good Apples Out? An Empirical Confirmation of the Alchian-Allen Conjecture," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(6), pages 1384-1402, December.
    9. James E. Anderson & Eric van Wincoop, 2004. "Trade Costs," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(3), pages 691-751, September.
    10. Yazgan, M. Ege & Yilmazkuday, Hakan, 2011. "Price-level convergence: New evidence from U.S. cities," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 76-78, February.
    11. Kenneth Rogoff, 1996. "The Purchasing Power Parity Puzzle," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 647-668, June.
    12. Jean-François Brun & Céline Carrère & Patrick Guillaumont & Jaime de Melo, 2015. "Has Distance Died? Evidence from a Panel Gravity Model," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Developing Countries in the World Economy, chapter 13, pages 299-320, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    13. Rogers, John H., 2007. "Monetary union, price level convergence, and inflation: How close is Europe to the USA?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 785-796, April.
    14. Kano, Kazuko & Kano, Takashi & Takechi, Kazutaka, 2013. "Exaggerated death of distance: Revisiting distance effects on regional price dispersions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 403-413.
    15. Crucini, Mario J. & Yilmazkuday, Hakan, 2014. "Understanding long-run price dispersion," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 226-240.
    16. David Parsley Shang-Jin Wei, 2002. "Currency Arrangements And Goods Market Integration: A Price Based Approach," International Finance 0211004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Janet Ceglowski, 2003. "The law of one price: intranational evidence for Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(2), pages 373-400, May.
    18. Ozlem Inanc & Marios Zachariadis, 2012. "The Importance Of Trade Costs In Deviations From The Law-Of-One-Price: Estimates Based On The Direction Of Trade," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 50(3), pages 667-689, July.
    19. Scott Bradford & Robert Z. Lawrence, 2004. "Has Globalization Gone Far Enough: The Costs of Fragmented Markets," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 349, April.
    20. MarioJ. Crucini & Mototsugu Shintani & Takayuki Tsuruga, 2010. "The Law of One Price without the Border: The Role of Distance versus Sticky Prices," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 120(544), pages 462-480, May.
    21. Rauch, James E., 1999. "Networks versus markets in international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 7-35, June.
    22. Hillberry, Russell & Hummels, David, 2008. "Trade responses to geographic frictions: A decomposition using micro-data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 527-550, April.
    23. Hummels, David, 2001. "Time As A Trade Barrier," Working papers 28701, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    24. Andrew K. Rose, 2004. "Do We Really Know That the WTO Increases Trade?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(1), pages 98-114, March.
    25. Charles Engel & John H. Rogers, 2004. "European product market integration after the euro [‘The law of one price in Scandinavian duty-free stores,’]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 19(39), pages 348-384.
    26. Mario J. Crucini & Chris I. Telmer & Marios Zachariadis, 2005. "Understanding European Real Exchange Rates," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(3), pages 724-738, June.
    27. Bergin, Paul R. & Glick, Reuven, 2007. "Global price dispersion: Are prices converging or diverging?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 703-729, September.
    28. Berthelon, Matias & Freund, Caroline, 2008. "On the conservation of distance in international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 310-320, July.
    29. Jonathan Eaton & Samuel Kortum, 2002. "Technology, Geography, and Trade," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 70(5), pages 1741-1779, September.
    30. Warren, Tony & Gary Clyde Hufbauer & Erika Wada, 2002. "Benefits of Price Convergence: Speculative Calculations, The," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number pa65, April.
    31. Marcus Asplund & Richard Friberg, 2001. "The Law of One Price in Scandinavian Duty-Free Stores," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 1072-1083, September.
    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. Felix Akinlade Babatola & Oluwatoyin Odunayo Fabiyi & Ayodeji Sikiru Animasaun, 2023. "Marketing Strategies and Sales Performance of Non-Durable Product During and After Covid 19 Pandemic in Nigeria," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(11), pages 1968-1979, November.
    2. Yazgan, M. Ege & Yilmazkuday, Hakan, 2011. "Price-level convergence: New evidence from U.S. cities," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 76-78, February.
    3. A. Nchake Mamello & Edwards Lawrence & N. Kaya Tresor, 2017. "Working Paper 272 - Price effects of borders between Lesotho and South Africa," Working Paper Series 2389, African Development Bank.
    4. Nchake, Mamello A. & Edwards, Lawrence & Rankin, Neil, 2018. "Closer monetary union and product market integration in emerging economies: Evidence from the Common Monetary Area in Southern Africa," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 154-164.
    5. repec:rza:wpaper:421 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Mamello A Nchake & Lawrence Edwards & Tresor N Kaya, 2019. "The Size of the Border and Product Market Integration Between Lesotho and South Africa: A Production–Consumption Approach," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 28(1), pages 70-88.
    7. Crucini, Mario J. & Yilmazkuday, Hakan, 2014. "Understanding long-run price dispersion," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 226-240.

    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. repec:rza:wpaper:421 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Patricia Sourdin & Richard Pomfret, 2012. "Trade Facilitation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14596, August.
    3. Fischer, Christoph, 2012. "Price convergence in the EMU? Evidence from micro data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(4), pages 757-776.
    4. James E. Anderson & Eric van Wincoop, 2004. "Trade Costs," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(3), pages 691-751, September.
    5. Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Linda Tesar, 2005. "A Re-Examination of the Border Effect," NBER Working Papers 11706, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Bruce Cater & Byron Lew, 2018. "The impact of climate on the law of one price: A test using North American food prices from the 1920s," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 1191-1220, November.
    7. Kano, Kazuko & Kano, Takashi & Takechi, Kazutaka, 2013. "Exaggerated death of distance: Revisiting distance effects on regional price dispersions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 403-413.
    8. Ozlem Inanc & Marios Zachariadis, 2012. "The Importance Of Trade Costs In Deviations From The Law-Of-One-Price: Estimates Based On The Direction Of Trade," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 50(3), pages 667-689, July.
    9. Mamello A Nchake & Lawrence Edwards & Tresor N Kaya, 2019. "The Size of the Border and Product Market Integration Between Lesotho and South Africa: A Production–Consumption Approach," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 28(1), pages 70-88.
    10. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/686 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Guillaume Daudin, 2005. "Les transactions de la mondialisation," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 92(1), pages 221-262.
    12. Kazuko Kano & Takashi Kano & Kazutaka Takechi, 2012. "Nonparametric Identification and Estimation of the Number of Components in Multivariate Mixtures," Global COE Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series gd12-246, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    13. A. Nchake Mamello & Edwards Lawrence & N. Kaya Tresor, 2017. "Working Paper 272 - Price effects of borders between Lesotho and South Africa," Working Paper Series 2389, African Development Bank.
    14. Hai Long Vo & Duc Hong Vo, 2023. "The purchasing power parity and exchange‐rate economics half a century on," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 446-479, April.
    15. Paul Bergin & Reuven Glick, 2005. "Tradability, Productivity, and Understanding International Economic Integration," Working Papers 294, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    16. Mario J. Crucini & Mototsugu Shintani & Takayuki Tsuruga, 2020. "A Behavioral Explanation for the Puzzling Persistence of the Aggregate Real Exchange Rate," NBER Working Papers 27420, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Kano, Kazuko & 加納, 和子 & Kano, Takashi & 加納, 隆 & Takechi, Kazutaka & 武智, 一貴, 2013. "The Price of Distance: Producer Heterogeneity, Pricing to Market, and Geographic Barriers," Discussion Papers 2013-03, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University.
    18. Kazuko KANO & Takashi KANO & Kazutaka TAKECHI, 2015. "The Price of Distance: Pricing to market, producer heterogeneity, and geographic barriers," Discussion papers 15017, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    19. Mario J. Crucini & Christopher I. Telmer, 2012. "Microeconomic Sources of Real Exchange Rate Variability," NBER Working Papers 17978, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Paul R. Bergin & Reuven Glick, 2017. "Endogenous Tradability and Some Macroeconomic Implications," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: International Macroeconomic Interdependence, chapter 7, pages 187-210, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    21. Chi-Young Choi & Anthony Murphy & Jyh-Lin Wu, 2017. "Segmentation of consumer markets in the US: What do intercity price differences tell us?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 50(3), pages 738-777, August.
    22. Bergin, Paul R. & Glick, Reuven, 2007. "Global price dispersion: Are prices converging or diverging?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 703-729, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • F36 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:glecon:v:13:y:2013:i:2:p:151-173:n:2. 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.