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Merger of complements: Empirical evidence from the eyewear industry

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  • Gaudin, Germain
  • Nagel, Niklas

Abstract

We analyze the effects of a merger between sellers of perfect complements in an oligopolistic industry. Relying on a unique dataset listing every pair of glasses sold by almost 400 independent opticians in Germany, we study the effects of the 2018 merger between the global leading producer of ophthalmic lenses and the global leading producer of eyewear frames. We show that the retail prices of components produced by the merging parties decreased with the merger, relatively to the prices of components produced by competing firms. This is, according to the theory, due to a reduction in double-marginalization resulting from the internalization of externalities after the merger. We also find that the relative price decrease is asymmetric across component markets, in line with our theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaudin, Germain & Nagel, Niklas, 2025. "Merger of complements: Empirical evidence from the eyewear industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 103(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:103:y:2025:i:pa:s0167718724000699
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2024.103114
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices
    • L42 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Vertical Restraints; Resale Price Maintenance; Quantity Discounts

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