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Price Discontinuities in an Online Market for Used Cars

Author

Listed:
  • Florian Englmaier

    (University of Munich (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany)

  • Arno Schmöller

    (TWS Partners, 80538 Munich, Germany)

  • Till Stowasser

    (University of Munich (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany)

Abstract

We study the price-setting behavior in a competitive market for used cars and provide empirical evidence for coarse information processing. Based on detailed field data from one of Europe’s largest online marketplaces for automotive vehicles, we document systematic and sizable price discontinuities at salient car-age and mileage thresholds. The price difference between two otherwise identical cars across registration years (where one was first registered in January and the other in December of the previous year) is up to five times larger than that between two cars first registered in any two subsequent months within a registration year. A similar pattern can be observed in the mileage dimension at 10,000-km odometer marks, which is in line with earlier findings in the literature. Being able to study discontinuities along two dimensions of the same good allows us to further our understanding toward a more general notion of inattentive behavior. While our results are compatible with a behavioral model of limited attention, we also provide evidence for a more traditional explanation based on search frictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Englmaier & Arno Schmöller & Till Stowasser, 2018. "Price Discontinuities in an Online Market for Used Cars," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(6), pages 2754-2766, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:64:y:2018:i:6:p:2754-2766
    DOI: 10.287/mnsc.2016.2714
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    Cited by:

    1. Bronson Argyle & Taylor Nadauld & Christopher Palmer & Ryan Pratt, 2021. "The Capitalization of Consumer Financing into Durable Goods Prices," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(1), pages 169-210, February.
    2. Fernando Chague & Rodrigo De Losso, Bruno Giovannetti, 2017. "The Price Tag Illusion," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2017_31, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    3. Saur, Marc P. & Schlatterer, Markus G. & Schmitt, Stefanie Y., 2022. "Limited perception and price discrimination in a model of horizontal product differentiation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 151-168.
    4. Xavier Gabaix, 2017. "Behavioral Inattention," NBER Working Papers 24096, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Gökçe Esenduran & James A. Hill & In Joon Noh, 2020. "Understanding the Choice of Online Resale Channel for Used Electronics," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(5), pages 1188-1211, May.
    6. Rodolfo Sejas-Portillo & David Comerford & Mirko Moro & Till Stowasser, 2020. "Limited Attention in the Housing Market: Threshold Effects of Energy-Performance Certificates on Property Prices and Energy-Efficiency Investments," CESifo Working Paper Series 8669, CESifo.
    7. Steffen Altmann & Christian Traxler & Philipp Weinschenk, 2017. "Deadlines and Cognitive Limitations," CESifo Working Paper Series 6761, CESifo.
    8. Schmitt, Stefanie Y. & Schlatterer, Markus G., 2021. "Poverty and limited attention," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    9. Heidhues, Paul & Köszegi, Botond, 2018. "Behavioral Industrial Organization," CEPR Discussion Papers 12988, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Blaise Melly & Rafael Lalive, 2020. "Estimation, Inference, and Interpretation in the Regression Discontinuity Design," Diskussionsschriften dp2016, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
    11. Comerford, David A. & Lange, Ian & Moro, Mirko, 2018. "Proof of concept that requiring energy labels for dwellings can induce retrofitting," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 204-212.
    12. Steffen Altmann & Christian Traxler & Philipp Weinschenk, 2022. "Deadlines and Memory Limitations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(9), pages 6733-6750, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    price discontinuities; behavioral bias; bounded rationality; inattention; heuristics; search cost; Internet markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L - Industrial Organization

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