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Une analyse économique de l’usage de faux prix réguliers en publicité

Author

Listed:
  • Marcel Boyer

    (Département de sciences économiques, Université de Montréal)

  • Jean-Jacques Laffont

    (GREMAQ, Faculté des sciences économiques, Université de Toulouse)

Abstract

In this article, we consider misleading advertising and in particular the advertising of a false regular price when a bargain price is announced. To take into account the strategic interactions between firms and the consumers' rationality when confronted with advertising, we develop a duopoly model à la Bertrand in which equilibrium prices do transmit information on product quality. The use of false regular prices appears then as the transmission of an indirect and false information on the product quality. We derive and characterize the bargain price equilibrium when consumers make a rational use of prices (although they may still be misled at times) to infer product qualities. Hence the model captures essential aspects of markets with advertising: consumers are rational and firms are engaged in a strategic game with differentiated products. Nous considérons dans cet article la publicité trompeuse, et en particulier la publicité portant sur un faux prix régulier lorsqu’un prix d’aubaine est annoncé. Afin de prendre en considération les interactions stratégiques entre les firmes ainsi que la rationalité des consommateurs face à la publicité des entreprises, nous développons un modèle formel de duopole à la Bertrand dans lequel les prix transmettent à l’équilibre de l’information sur la qualité des produits. L’usage d’un faux prix régulier apparaît alors comme la transmission d’une information indirecte, et fausse, sur la qualité du produit. Nous dérivons et caractérisons un équilibre avec prix d’aubaine dans lequel les consommateurs font un usage rationnel de l’information sur les prix (tout en reconnaissant qu’ils peuvent être parfois trompés par une information incorrecte, inexacte ou frauduleuse) afin d’inférer les caractéristiques de qualité des produits. Le modèle possède ainsi les caractéristiques essentielles des marchés de publicité : d’une part les consommateurs sont rationnels et à l’équilibre anticipent de façon rationnelle la qualité des produits qu’ils achètent et d’autre part les entreprises sont engagées dans un jeu stratégique de marché où les produits sont différenciés.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcel Boyer & Jean-Jacques Laffont, 1987. "Une analyse économique de l’usage de faux prix réguliers en publicité," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 63(2), pages 153-168.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:actuec:v:63:y:1987:i:2:p:153-168
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ashley, R & Granger, C W J & Schmalensee, R, 1980. "Advertising and Aggregate Consumption: An Analysis of Causality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(5), pages 1149-1167, July.
    2. Nelson, Philip, 1974. "Advertising as Information," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(4), pages 729-754, July/Aug..
    3. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
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