IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/annopr/v318y2022i1d10.1007_s10479-022-04837-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Scarcity and panic buying: the effect of regulation by subsidizing the supply and customer purchases during a crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Avi Herbon

    (Bar-Ilan University - Ramat-Gan)

  • Konstantin Kogan

    (Bar-Ilan University - Ramat-Gan)

Abstract

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in France, people cleared the shelves of butter; in Italy, it was pasta; in Great Britain, it was chicken. While there may be cultural disagreement on what is essential, clearly, in times of crisis, consumers stockpile the ‘essentials’. We address the problem of “panic buying”, which is characterized by increasing demand in the face of diminishing inventory. In such cases, prices may hike and firms (retailers) selling the high-demand product are quantity takers, in terms of supply, and price setters. We consider a manufacturer who sells a scarce product to a single retailer. The retailer seeks to maximize her profit, while in contrast, the manufacturer pursues a social objective of regulating and lowering the amount that the end customer (consumer) pays (including the cost of traveling to obtain the scarce product). By analyzing the competition between the two parties, retailer and manufacturer, we find that even when the regulator (manufacturer) makes a significant social commitment, neither subsidizing the retailer nor subsidizing the consumers necessarily curbs price hikes. Furthermore, there is a threshold ratio (i.e., proportion of the end price subsidized by the regulator) that determines the minimal budget that the regulator would need to allocate in order for subsidization to make a difference to consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Avi Herbon & Konstantin Kogan, 2022. "Scarcity and panic buying: the effect of regulation by subsidizing the supply and customer purchases during a crisis," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 318(1), pages 251-276, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:annopr:v:318:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10479-022-04837-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10479-022-04837-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10479-022-04837-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10479-022-04837-7?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 search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiho Yoon & Ram Narasimhan & Myung Kyo Kim, 2018. "Retailer’s sourcing strategy under consumer stockpiling in anticipation of supply disruptions," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(10), pages 3615-3635, May.
    2. David Coady & Margaret Grosh & John Hoddinott, 2004. "Targeting of Transfers in Developing Countries : Review of Lessons and Experience," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 14902, December.
    3. Verhallen, Theo M. M., 1982. "Scarcity and consumer choice behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 299-322, December.
    4. Lucas W. Davis, 2014. "The Economic Cost of Global Fuel Subsidies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(5), pages 581-585, May.
    5. Gu, Xiaoyu & Ieromonachou, Petros & Zhou, Li, 2019. "Subsidising an electric vehicle supply chain with imperfect information," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 82-97.
    6. Xiaofang Liu & Jian Li & Jun Wu & Guoqing Zhang, 2017. "Coordination of supply chain with a dominant retailer under government price regulation by revenue sharing contracts," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 257(1), pages 587-612, October.
    7. Chernonog, Tatyana, 2020. "Inventory and marketing policy in a supply chain of a perishable product," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 259-274.
    8. David le Blanc, 2008. "A Framework for Analyzing Tariffs and Subsidies in Water Provision to Urban Households in Developing Countries," Working Papers 63, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    9. Verhallen, Theo M. M. & Robben, Henry S. J., 1994. "Scarcity and preference: An experiment on unavailability and product evaluation," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 315-331, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Qingyun & He, Yi & Shao, Zhen, 2023. "Retailer's ordering decisions with consumer panic buying under unexpected events," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).

    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. Yael Steinhart & David Mazursky & Michael Kamins, 2013. "The process by which product availability triggers purchase," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 217-228, September.
    2. Catherine Janssen & Joëlle Vanhamme & Adam Lindgreen & Cécile Lefebvre, 2014. "The Catch-22 of Responsible Luxury: Effects of Luxury Product Characteristics on Consumers’ Perception of Fit with Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(1), pages 45-57, January.
    3. Gierl, Heribert & Huettl, Verena, 2010. "Are scarce products always more attractive? The interaction of different types of scarcity signals with products' suitability for conspicuous consumption," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 225-235.
    4. Gholipour, Hassan Fereidouni & Tajaddini, Reza & Al-mulali, Usama, 2014. "Does personal freedom influence outbound tourism?," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 19-25.
    5. Alexander Fox & Jana Neuland, 2020. "Limited Availability in Crowdfunding Projects – Guarantee for Profitability," Eurasian Journal of Economics and Finance, Eurasian Publications, vol. 8(4), pages 246-260.
    6. Ina Garnefeld & Eva Böhm & Lena Klimke & Andrea Oestreich, 2018. "I thought it was over, but now it is back: customer reactions to ex post time extensions of sales promotions," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 1133-1147, November.
    7. Hwang, Yookyung & Ko, Eunju & Megehee, Carol M., 2014. "When higher prices increase sales: How chronic and manipulated desires for conspicuousness and rarity moderate price's impact on choice of luxury brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(9), pages 1912-1920.
    8. Hoenow, Nils Christian & Kirk, Michael, 2021. "Does competitive scarcity affect the speed of resource extraction? A common-pool resource lab-in-the-field experiment on land use in northern Namibia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    9. Lehmann, Paul, 2011. "Making water affordable to all: A typology and evaluation of options for urban water pricing," UFZ Discussion Papers 10/2011, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    10. John A. Maluccio, 2009. "Household targeting in practice: The Nicaraguan Red de Protección Social," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(1), pages 1-23.
    11. Saini, Shweta & Sharma, Sameedh & Gulati, Ashok & Hussain, Siraj & von Braun, Joachim, 2017. "Indian food and welfare schemes: Scope for digitization towards cash transfers," Discussion Papers 261791, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    12. Emanuela Galasso & Martin Ravallion, 2004. "Social Protection in a Crisis: Argentina's Plan Jefes y Jefas," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 18(3), pages 367-399.
    13. Coady, David P. & Grosh, Margaret & Hoddinott, John, 2002. "Targeting outcomes redux," FCND briefs 144, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. Kate Pruce, 2023. "The Politics of Who Gets What and Why: Learning from the Targeting of Social Cash Transfers in Zambia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(4), pages 820-839, August.
    15. Rodriguez, D., 2014. "Applying results-based financing in water investments," IWMI Working Papers H046875, International Water Management Institute.
    16. Stathopoulou, Anastasia & Balabanis, George, 2019. "The effect of cultural value orientation on consumers' perceptions of luxury value and proclivity for luxury consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 298-312.
    17. Brown, Caitlin & Ravallion, Martin & van de Walle, Dominique, 2018. "A poor means test? Econometric targeting in Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 109-124.
    18. Syed Hasan & Odmaa Narantungalag, & Martin Berka, 2022. "The intended and unintended consequences of large electricity subsidies: evidence from Mongolia," Discussion Papers 2202, School of Economics and Finance, Massey University, New Zealand.
    19. Jin, Ling & Chen, Kevin Z. & Yu, Bingxin & Filipski, Mateusz, 2015. "Farmers' Coping Strategies against an Aggregate Shock: Evidence from the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211814, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Sembada, Agung Y. & Koay, Kian Yeik, 2021. "How perceived behavioral control affects trust to purchase in social media stores," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 574-582.

    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:spr:annopr:v:318:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10479-022-04837-7. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.