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Endogenous Product Differentiation, Market Size and Prices

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Abstract

Recent empirical evidence suggests that prices for some goods and services are higher in larger markets. This paper provides a demand-side explanation for this phenomenon when firms can choose how much to differentiate their products in a model of monopolistic competition with horizontal product differentiation. The model proposes that consumers’ love of variety makes them more sensitive to product differentiation efforts by firms, which leads to higher prices in larger markets. At the same time, endogenous product differentiation modeled in this way can lead to a positive and concave relationship between market size and entry.

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  • Ferguson, Shon, 2011. "Endogenous Product Differentiation, Market Size and Prices," Working Paper Series 878, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:0878
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    4. OKOSHI Hirofumi, 2021. "Innovation for Tax Avoidance: Product Differentiation and the Arm's Length Principle," Discussion papers 21038, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Endogenous Technology; Entry; Market Size Effect; International Trade; Monopolistic Competition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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