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Sales, Quantity Surcharge, and Consumer Inattention

Author

Listed:
  • Sofronis Clerides

    (University of Cyprus and CEPR)

  • Pascal Courty

    (University of Victoria and CEPR)

Abstract

Quantity surcharges occur when retailers carry a product in two sizes and offer a promotion on the small size: the large size then costs more per unit than the small one. When quantity surcharges occur, sales of the large size decline only slightly even though the same quantity can be purchased for less. We document this behavior in two data sets and four product categories. It is consistent with the notion of passive shoppers found in the industrial organization literature and the notion of rational inattention in macroeconomics. We discuss implications for consumer decision making, demand estimation, and firm pricing.

Suggested Citation

  • Sofronis Clerides & Pascal Courty, 2017. "Sales, Quantity Surcharge, and Consumer Inattention," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 99(2), pages 357-370, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:99:y:2017:i:2:p:357-370
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    Cited by:

    1. Linda Thunström & Chian Jones Ritten, 2019. "Endogenous attention to costs," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Jacobsen, Grant D. & Stewart, James I., 2022. "How do consumers respond to price complexity? Experimental evidence from the power sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    3. Sofronis Clerides & Pascal Courty & Yupei Ma, 2023. "Store expensiveness and consumer saving: Insights from a new decomposition of price dispersion," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 65-94, March.
    4. Michelle Sovinsky & Liana Jacobi & Alessandra Allocca & Tao Sun, 2024. "More than Joints: Multi-Substance Use, Choice Limitations, and Policy Implications," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_501, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    5. Thiago Cacicedo, 2021. "Price discrimination and market concentration: Evidence from the laundry detergent market," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 89(6), pages 594-609, December.
    6. Graham, Charles & Khan, Kamran & Ilyas, Muhammad, 2019. "Estimating the value of passing trade from pedestrian density," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 103-111.
    7. Michelle Sovinsky & Liana Jacobi & Alessandra Allocca & Tao Sun, 2023. "More than Joints: Multi-Substance Use, Choice Limitations, and Policy Implications," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 487, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    8. Salvo, Alberto, 2018. "Flexible fuel vehicles, less flexible minded consumers: Price information experiments at the pump," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 194-221.
    9. Salvo, Alberto & Huse, Cristian, 2013. "Build it, but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugarcane ethanol," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 251-279.
    10. Ornaghi, Carmine & Tonin, Mirco, 2018. "Water Tariffs and Consumers' Inaction," IZA Discussion Papers 11458, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Montinari, Natalia & Runnemark, Emma & Wengström, Erik, 2017. "Self-Scanning and Self-Control: A Field Experiment on Real-Time Feedback and Shopping Behavior," Working Papers 2017:15, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    12. Yufeng Huang & Bart J. Bronnenberg, 2018. "Pennies for Your Thoughts: Costly Product Consideration and Purchase Quantity Thresholds," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(6), pages 1009-1028, November.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D4 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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