IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pdn/ciepap/127.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Impact of Product Qualities on Downstream Bundling in a Distribution Channel

Author

Listed:
  • Angelika Endres

    (Paderborn University)

  • Joachim Heinzel

    (Paderborn University)

Abstract

We study the impact of exogenous product qualities on a downstream firm’s decision to bundle and the welfare effects of downstream bundling. We consider a distribution channel with two downstream firms and two price-setting monopolistic upstream producers. One upstream firm sells its good 1 exclusively to one downstream firm and the other upstream firm sells its good 2 to both downstream firms. The downstream firms compete in prices and the two-product downstream firm has the option to bundle its goods. We find that downstream bundling aggravates the problem of double marginalization in the channel, but reduces the intensity of downstream competition. Finally, bundling is profitable for the two-product downstream firm only when the quality of good 2 exceeds the quality of good 1. However, bundling is always profitable when the production process is controlled by the downstream industry. The impact on total welfare is ambiguous and depends on the distribution of market power in the channel and the quality levels of the goods.

Suggested Citation

  • Angelika Endres & Joachim Heinzel, 2019. "The Impact of Product Qualities on Downstream Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Working Papers CIE 127, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pdn:ciepap:127
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://groups.uni-paderborn.de/wp-wiwi/RePEc/pdf/ciepap/WP127.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Spector, David, 2007. "Bundling, tying, and collusion," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 575-581, June.
    2. Martin, Stephen, 1999. "Strategic and welfare implications of bundling," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 371-376, March.
    3. Avinash Dixit, 1979. "A Model of Duopoly Suggesting a Theory of Entry Barriers," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 10(1), pages 20-32, Spring.
    4. Schmalensee, Richard, 1984. "Gaussian Demand and Commodity Bundling," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(1), pages 211-230, January.
    5. Cao, Qingning & Geng, Xianjun & Zhang, Jun, 2015. "Strategic Role of Retailer Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 50-67.
    6. Whinston, Michael D, 1990. "Tying, Foreclosure, and Exclusion," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(4), pages 837-859, September.
    7. Carbajo, Jose & de Meza, David & Seidmann, Daniel J, 1990. "A Strategic Motivation for Commodity Bundling," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 283-298, March.
    8. Hui-Ling Chung & Yan-Shu Lin & Jin-Li Hu, 2013. "Bundling strategy and product differentiation," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 108(3), pages 207-229, April.
    9. Hemant K. Bhargava, 2012. "Retailer-Driven Product Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(6), pages 1014-1021, November.
    10. Alain Egli, 2007. "On Stability in Competition: Tying and Horizontal Product Differentiation," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 30(1), pages 29-38, February.
    11. Dennis W. Carlton & Michael Waldman, 2002. "The Strategic Use of Tying to Preserve and Create Market Power in Evolving Industries," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 33(2), pages 194-220, Summer.
    12. Joachim Heinzel, 2019. "Bundling in a Distribution Channel with Retail Competition," Working Papers CIE 120, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    13. Joseph J. Spengler, 1950. "Vertical Integration and Antitrust Policy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58, pages 347-347.
    14. R. Venkatesh & Wagner Kamakura, 2003. "Optimal Bundling and Pricing under a Monopoly: Contrasting Complements and Substitutes from Independently Valued Products," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 76(2), pages 211-232, April.
    15. Qingning Cao & Xianjun Geng & Kathryn E. Stecke & Jun Zhang, 2019. "Operational Role of Retail Bundling and Its Implications in a Supply Chain," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 28(8), pages 1903-1920, August.
    16. Mihai Banciu & Esther Gal-Or & Prakash Mirchandani, 2010. "Bundling Strategies When Products Are Vertically Differentiated and Capacities Are Limited," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(12), pages 2207-2223, December.
    17. R. Preston McAfee & John McMillan & Michael D. Whinston, 1989. "Multiproduct Monopoly, Commodity Bundling, and Correlation of Values," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 104(2), pages 371-383.
    18. Chakravarty, A. & Mild, A. & Taudes, A., 2013. "Bundling decisions in supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 231(3), pages 617-630.
    19. Hackner, Jonas, 2000. "A Note on Price and Quantity Competition in Differentiated Oligopolies," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 233-239, August.
    20. Dorothée Honhon & Xiajun Amy Pan, 2017. "Improving Profits by Bundling Vertically Differentiated Products," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 26(8), pages 1481-1497, August.
    21. Peitz, Martin, 2008. "Bundling may blockade entry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 41-58, January.
    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. Angelika Endres-Fröhlich & Burkhard Hehenkamp & Joachim Heinzel, 2022. "The Impact of Product Differentiation on Retail Bundling in a Vertical Market," Working Papers Dissertations 91, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.

    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. Angelika Endres & Joachim Heinzel, 2019. "The Impact of Product Qualities on Downstream Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Working Papers CIE 124, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    2. Angelika Endres-Fröhlich & Joachim Heinzel, 2022. "The Impact of Product Qualities on Downstream Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Working Papers Dissertations 90, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    3. Angelika Endres-Fröhlich & Burkhard Hehenkamp & Joachim Heinzel, 2022. "The Impact of Product Differentiation on Retail Bundling in a Vertical Market," Working Papers Dissertations 91, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    4. Joachim Heinzel, 2019. "Bundling in a Distribution Channel with Retail Competition," Working Papers CIE 120, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    5. Andrea Mantovani, 2013. "The Strategic Effect of Bundling: A New Perspective," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 42(1), pages 25-43, February.
    6. Gayer, Amit & Shy, Oz, 2016. "A welfare evaluation of tying strategies," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 623-637.
    7. Tang, Yuanzhao & Perera, Sandun C. & Cao, Qingning & Ji, Xiang, 2023. "Supplier versus platform bundling: Optimal strategies under agency selling," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    8. Cao, Qingning & Tang, Yuanzhao & Perera, Sandun & Zhang, Jianqiang, 2022. "Manufacturer- versus retailer-initiated bundling: Implications for the supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Akifumi Ishihara & Noriyuki Yanagawa, 2013. "Dark Sides of Patent Pools with Compulsory Independent Licensing," CARF F-Series CARF-F-318, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.
    10. Sheikhzadeh, Mehdi & Elahi, Ehsan, 2013. "Product bundling: Impacts of product heterogeneity and risk considerations," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 209-222.
    11. Baranes, Edmond & Podesta, Marion & Poudou, Jean-Christophe, 2016. "Mixed bundling may hinder collusion," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 638-658.
    12. Qingning Cao & Xianjun Geng & Jun Zhang, 2022. "Impact of channel structure on a manufacturer's bundling decision with an application to digital goods," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(4), pages 1679-1697, April.
    13. Marie-Noëlle Calès & Laurent Granier & Nadège Marchand, 2012. "Competition between Clearing Houses on the European Market," Post-Print halshs-00959121, HAL.
    14. Cao, Qingning & Geng, Xianjun & Zhang, Jun, 2015. "Strategic Role of Retailer Bundling in a Distribution Channel," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 50-67.
    15. Hui-Ling Chung & Yan-Shu Lin & Jin-Li Hu, 2013. "Bundling strategy and product differentiation," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 108(3), pages 207-229, April.
    16. Andrea Mantovani & Jan Vandekerckhove, 2016. "The Strategic Interplay Between Bundling and Merging in Complementary Markets," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(1), pages 19-36, January.
    17. Chen, Ting & Shan, Feifei & Yang, Feng & Xu, Fengmei, 2023. "Online retailer bundling strategy in a dual-channel supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    18. Qianbo Yin & Kwei‐Long Huang & Chia‐Wei Kuo & Sean X. Zhou, 2021. "Add‐On Pricing in a Distribution Channel," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(11), pages 4069-4088, November.
    19. Hui‐Ling Chung & Jin‐Li Hu & Yan‐Shu Lin, 2022. "The leverage effect of bundling on monopoly power and product quality," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 90(6), pages 668-688, December.
    20. Vaubourg, Anne-Gael, 2006. "Differentiation and discrimination in a duopoly with two bundles," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 753-762, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    channel conflicts; double marginalization; downstream bundling; leverage theory; quality differentiation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:pdn:ciepap:127. 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: WP-WiWi-Info or the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cipadde.html .

    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.