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Retailers as agents and the limits of parallel trade

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  • Maskus, Keith E.
  • Stähler, Frank

Abstract

The volume of retail-level parallel trade is surprisingly small despite persistent international price differences. We offer an agency-based explanation by considering competition between an original home manufacturer and a foreign retailer. The model endogenizes the role of the retailer as an agent with private information on the perceived quality of the good in its own market. The manufacturer cannot control the retailer once the latter has ordered its sales quantity but it can limit the initial offer. If parallel trade is permitted, this offer will fall if there is incomplete information, resulting in a small, or zero, volume of parallel trade. This outcome makes both the original producer and foreign consumers worse off, while offering little benefit to home consumers, compared to the case where such trade is banned.

Suggested Citation

  • Maskus, Keith E. & Stähler, Frank, 2014. "Retailers as agents and the limits of parallel trade," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 186-196.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:70:y:2014:i:c:p:186-196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.05.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Morimura, Fumikazu & Sakagawa, Yuji, 2018. "Information technology use in retail chains: Impact on the standardisation of pricing and promotion strategies and performance," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 81-91.
    2. Hans Gersbach & Hans Haller, 2018. "Hierarchical Trade," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(2), pages 1165-1184, April.
    3. Reisinger, Markus & Saurí, Lluís & Zenger, Hans, 2019. "Parallel imports, price controls, and innovation," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 163-179.
    4. Olena Ivus & Edwin L.-C. Lai, 2017. "Patent Exhaustion Regime and International Production Sharing: Winner and Losers?," CESifo Working Paper Series 6644, CESifo.
    5. Kamal Saggi, 2016. "Trade, Intellectual Property Rights, and the World Trade Organization," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 16-00014, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Parallel trade; Trade cost; Incomplete information;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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