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Competition versus collusion: the impact of consumer inertia

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  • Bos, I.

    (Organisation,Strategy & Entrepreneurship)

  • Pot, E.A.

    (Quantitative Economics)

  • Peeters, R.J.A.P.

    (Microeconomics & Public Economics)

Abstract

We consider a model of dynamic price competition to analyze the impact of consumer inertia on the ability of firms to sustain high prices. Three main consequences are identified, all of which contrast with predictions of the standard model of collusion: (i) maintaining high prices does not require punishment strategies when firms are sufficiently myopic, (ii) if buyers are sufficiently inert, then high prices can be sustained for all discount factors, and (iii) the ability to maintain high prices may depend non-monotonically on the level of the discount factor when the industry exhibits network externalities and demand is sufficiently viscous. These results provide a number of interesting insights with regard to competitive and collusive pricing behavior. In particular, we illustrate how direct communication between firms may facilitate collusion.
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Suggested Citation

  • Bos, I. & Pot, E.A. & Peeters, R.J.A.P., 2010. "Competition versus collusion: the impact of consumer inertia," Research Memorandum 024, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:umamet:2010024
    DOI: 10.26481/umamet.2010024
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    Cited by:

    1. Jacques Drèze & Alain Durré & Jacques Drèze & Jean-François Carpantier, 2014. "Fiscal Integration and Growth Stimulation in Europe," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 80(2), pages 5-45.
    2. Pot, Erik & Flesch, János & Peeters, Ronald & Vermeulen, Dries, 2013. "Dynamic competition with consumer inertia," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 355-366.
    3. Guillem Roig, 2021. "Collusive equilibria with switching costs: The effect of consumer concentration," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 100-121, February.
    4. Roos, Nicolas de & Smirnov, Vladimir, 2021. "Collusion, price dispersion, and fringe competition," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    5. Wenzel, Tobias, 2024. "Collusion, inattentive consumers and shrouded prices," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 579-591.

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