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The Production of Information to Price Discriminate

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  • Willy Lefez

    (HU Berlin)

Abstract

We study price discrimination by a monopolistic seller that endogenously produces a market segmentation at a cost, and question the efficiency of the production of market segmentations led by private incentives. We show that the efficient market segmentation gives all the gains in total surplus to the buyer, and the seller profit stays at the uniform profit level. Our result suggests that the private production of information by sellers to price discriminate is significantly inefficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Willy Lefez, 2025. "The Production of Information to Price Discriminate," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 535, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    • Handle: RePEc:rco:dpaper:535
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sims, Christopher A., 2010. "Rational Inattention and Monetary Economics," Handbook of Monetary Economics, in: Benjamin M. Friedman & Michael Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Monetary Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 4, pages 155-181, Elsevier.
    2. Andrew Caplin & Mark Dean, 2013. "Behavioral Implications of Rational Inattention with Shannon Entropy," NBER Working Papers 19318, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1987. "A necessary and sufficient condition for rationalizability in a quasi-linear context," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 191-200, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D42 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Monopoly
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies

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