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Loss Leading as an Exploitative Practice

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  • Rey, Patrick
  • Chen, Zhijun

Abstract

We show that large retailers, competing with smaller stores that carry a narrower range, can exercise market power by pricing below cost some of the products also offered by the smaller rivals, in order to discriminate multi-stop shoppers from onestop shoppers. Loss leading thus appears as an exploitative device rather than as an exclusionary instrument, although it hurts the smaller rivals as well; banning below-cost pricing increases consumer surplus, rivals’ profits, and social welfare. Our insights extend to industries where established firms compete with entrants offering fewer products. They also apply to complementary products such as platforms and applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Rey, Patrick & Chen, Zhijun, 2010. "Loss Leading as an Exploitative Practice," IDEI Working Papers 658, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse, revised Dec 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:ide:wpaper:24028
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    loss leading; exploitative practice; retail power;

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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