IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/indorg/v103y2025ipas0167718725000700.html

Digital business models and quality investment

Author

Listed:
  • Allain, Marie-Laure
  • Bourreau, Marc
  • Darlas, Pierre-François

Abstract

In this paper, we study the competition between two horizontally differentiated digital platforms. Each platform can adopt either a user-funded or an ad-funded business model. The platforms also invest in service quality to attract users. We find that which business model is more conducive to quality investment depends on the relative value of the platforms' services to the marginal multi-homing user compared to the value of the marginal user to advertisers. From a consumer welfare perspective, in equilibrium, platforms tend to adopt the user-funded business model too often and insufficiently differentiate their business models. Our results also show that regulatory interventions in digital markets aiming at mitigating market power of ad-tech firms or improving privacy protection can induce shifts in business models, with potentially ambiguous effects on consumer welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Allain, Marie-Laure & Bourreau, Marc & Darlas, Pierre-François, 2025. "Digital business models and quality investment," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 103(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:103:y:2025:i:pa:s0167718725000700
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2025.103204
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167718725000700
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijindorg.2025.103204?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. Esmée S. R. Dijk & José L. Moraga‐González & Evgenia Motchenkova, 2024. "How Do Start‐up Acquisitions Affect the Direction of Innovation?," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 118-156, March.
    2. Simon P. Anderson & Bruno Jullien, 2015. "The advertising-financed business model in two-sided media markets," Post-Print hal-02866192, HAL.
    3. Ramon Casadesus‐Masanell & Gastón Llanes, 2015. "Investment Incentives in Open‐Source and Proprietary Two‐Sided Platforms," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 306-324, June.
    4. Luis Aguiar & Joel Waldfogel, 2018. "Quality Predictability and the Welfare Benefits from New Products: Evidence from the Digitization of Recorded Music," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(2), pages 492-524.
    5. Denicolò, Vincenzo & Polo, Michele, 2018. "Duplicative research, mergers and innovation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 56-59.
    6. Federico, Giulio & Langus, Gregor & Valletti, Tommaso, 2017. "A simple model of mergers and innovation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 136-140.
    7. Hans Jarle Kind & Tore Nilssen & Lars Sørgard, 2009. "Business Models for Media Firms: Does Competition Matter for How They Raise Revenue?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(6), pages 1112-1128, 11-12.
    8. Ambrus, Attila & Reisinger, Markus, 2006. "Exclusive vs Overlapping Viewers in Media Markets," Discussion Papers in Economics 1178, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    9. Simon P. Anderson & Øystein Foros & Hans Jarle Kind, 2018. "Competition for Advertisers and for Viewers in Media Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(608), pages 34-54, February.
    10. Bourreau, Marc & Jullien, Bruno & Lefouili, Yassine, 2018. "Horizontal Mergers and Incremental Innovation," TSE Working Papers 18-907, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Jul 2024.
    11. Attila Ambrus & Emilio Calvano & Markus Reisinger, 2016. "Either or Both Competition: A "Two-Sided" Theory of Advertising with Overlapping Viewerships," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 8(3), pages 189-222, August.
    12. Colleen Cunningham & Florian Ederer & Song Ma, 2021. "Killer Acquisitions," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(3), pages 649-702.
    13. Ramon Casadesus-Masanell & Feng Zhu, 2010. "Strategies to Fight Ad-Sponsored Rivals," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(9), pages 1484-1499, September.
    14. Ben Mermelstein & Volker Nocke & Mark A. Satterthwaite & Michael D. Whinston, 2020. "Internal versus External Growth in Industries with Scale Economies: A Computational Model of Optimal Merger Policy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(1), pages 301-341.
    15. Ramon Casadesus-Masanell & Andres Hervas-Drane, 2015. "Competing with Privacy," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(1), pages 229-246, January.
    16. Anna D'Annunzio & Antonio Russo & Shiva Shekhar, 2024. "Digital Ecosystems: The Adtech Tax and Content Quality," CESifo Working Paper Series 11400, CESifo.
    17. Etro, Federico, 2021. "Device-funded vs ad-funded platforms," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    18. Ambrus, Attila & Reisinger, Markus, 2006. "Exclusive vs Overlapping Viewers in Media Markets," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 161, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    19. Emilio Calvano & Michele Polo, 2020. "Strategic Differentiation by Business Models: Free-To-Air and Pay-TV," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 130(625), pages 50-64.
    20. Simon P. Anderson & Øystein Foros & Hans Jarle Kind, 2018. "Competition for Advertisers and for Viewers in Media Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(608), pages 34-54, February.
    21. Calvano, Emilio & Polo, Michele, 2021. "Market power, competition and innovation in digital markets: A survey," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Bruno Jullien & Alessandro Pavan & Marc Rysman, 2021. "Two-sided markets, pricing, and network effects," Post-Print hal-03828345, HAL.
    2. Calvano, Emilio & Polo, Michele, 2021. "Market power, competition and innovation in digital markets: A survey," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    3. Martin Peitz, 2024. "The Economic Theory of Two-Sided Platforms," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_584, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    4. Shekhar, Shiva, 2020. "Zero Pricing Platform Competition," MPRA Paper 99364, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Shiva Shekhar & Radostina Shopova, 2025. "The Limits of Media See-Saws: Ad-Funded Platform Mergers Can Harm Both Sides," CESifo Working Paper Series 11768, CESifo.
    6. Yassine Lefouili & Leonardo Madio, 2026. "Mergers and investments : where do we stand ?," Post-Print hal-05543677, HAL.
    7. Shekhar, Shiva & Shopova, Radostina, 2025. "The limits of media see-saws: Ad-funded platform mergers can harm both sides," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    8. Simon P. Anderson & Martin Peitz, 2023. "Ad Clutter, Time Use, and Media Diversity," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 227-270, May.
    9. Haucap, Justus & Stiebale, Joel, 2023. "Non-price effects of mergers and acquisitions," DICE Discussion Papers 402, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    10. Simon P. Anderson & Øystein Foros & Hans Jarle Kind, 2019. "The importance of consumer multihoming (joint purchases) for market performance: Mergers and entry in media markets," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 125-137, January.
    11. Anderson, Simon P. & Peitz, Martin, 2020. "Media see-saws: Winners and losers in platform markets," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    12. Yassine Lefouili & Leonardo Madio, 2025. "Mergers and Investments: Where Do We Stand?," Working Papers hal-05129593, HAL.
    13. Igor Letina & Armin Schmutzler & Regina Seibel, 2024. "Killer Acquisitions And Beyond: Policy Effects On Innovation Strategies," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(2), pages 591-622, May.
    14. Pauline Affeldt & Elena Argentesi & Lapo Filistrucchi, 2021. "Estimating Demand with Multi-Homing in Two-Sided Markets," Working Papers wp1165, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    15. Flavio Pino, 2022. "The microeconomics of data – a survey," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 49(3), pages 635-665, September.
    16. Simon P. Anderson & Bruno Jullien, 2015. "The advertising-financed business model in two-sided media markets," Post-Print hal-02866192, HAL.
    17. D'Annunzio, Anna & Russo, Antonio, 2015. "Net Neutrality and internet fragmentation: The role of online advertising," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 30-47.
    18. Zennyo, Yusuke, 2024. "A model of mobile app and ad platform markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    19. Simon P. Anderson & Øystein Foros & Hans Jarle Kind, 2018. "Competition for Advertisers and for Viewers in Media Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(608), pages 34-54, February.
    20. Gary Biglaiser & Emilio Calvano & Jacques Crémer, 2019. "Incumbency advantage and its value," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 41-48, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • 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

    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:eee:indorg:v:103:y:2025:i:pa:s0167718725000700. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505551 .

    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.