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Intermediation and Steering: Competition in Prices and Commissions

Author

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  • Tat-How Teh
  • Julian Wright

Abstract

We explore the implications of steering by an informed profit-maximizing intermediary. The intermediary steers consumers by recommending firms, taking into account both the commissions firms offer and the prices they set. Such steering results in higher commissions and consumer prices, so that consumers only benefit from intermediation when their search cost is sufficiently high. Steering reverses the normal relationship between competition and price, with prices increasing in the number of competing firms. We use the framework to study various policies including commission caps (absolute or relative), commission disclosure, promoting information provision, and penalties for inappropriate advice.

Suggested Citation

  • Tat-How Teh & Julian Wright, 2022. "Intermediation and Steering: Competition in Prices and Commissions," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(2), pages 281-321, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:14:y:2022:i:2:p:281-321
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20190344
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bo Zhou & Tianxin Zou, 2023. "Competing for Recommendations: The Strategic Impact of Personalized Product Recommendations in Online Marketplaces," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(2), pages 360-376, March.
    2. Jidong Zhou, 2020. "Improved Information in Search Markets," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2264R, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University, revised Jun 2022.
    3. Alessandro Bonatti, 2023. "The Platform Dimension of Digital Privacy," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Privacy, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Koo, Wesley W., 2024. "Hybrid governance of platform entrepreneurs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(2).
    5. Gambato, Jacopo & Sandrini, Luca, 2023. "Not as good as it used to be: Do streaming platforms penalize quality?," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-032, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Chinonso E. Etumnu, 2022. "A competitive marketplace or an unfair competitor? An analysis of Amazon and its best sellers ranks," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(3), pages 924-937, September.
    7. Teh, Christopher & Wang, Chengsi & Watanabe, Makoto, 2024. "Strategic limitation of market accessibility: Search platform design and welfare," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    8. Kittaka, Yuta & Sato, Susumu & Zennyo, Yusuke, 2023. "Self-preferencing by platforms: A literature review," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Dirk Bergemann & Alessandro Bonatti, 2024. "Data, Competition, and Digital Platforms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(8), pages 2553-2595, August.
    10. Justin P. Johnson & Andrew Rhodes & Matthijs Wildenbeest, 2023. "Platform Design When Sellers Use Pricing Algorithms," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 91(5), pages 1841-1879, September.
    11. Martin Peitz, 2023. "Governance and Regulation of Platforms," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2023_480, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    12. Yusuke Zennyo, 2022. "Platform Encroachment and Own‐Content Bias," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(3), pages 684-710, September.
    13. Fei Long & Kinshuk Jerath & Miklos Sarvary, 2022. "Designing an Online Retail Marketplace: Leveraging Information from Sponsored Advertising," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(1), pages 115-138, January.
    14. Yongmin Chen, 2024. "Search and Competition Under Product Quality Uncertainty," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 633-661, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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