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Price Transparency, Media, and Informative Advertising

Author

Listed:
  • Itai Ater
  • Oren Rigbi

Abstract

We study the effects of a price transparency regulation in Israeli supermarkets. Using price data collected before and after the regulation and a difference-in-difference research design, we show that price levels and price dispersion declined significantly after the regulation. Chains also began setting identical prices in all stores. We use Robert and Stahl (1993) to interpret our findings, showing that low-priced chains extensively used price advertising after prices became transparent. These chains referenced price-comparison surveys conducted by the media to induce credibility for ads. Our findings highlight the importance of price transparency and the procompetitive role of informative advertising.

Suggested Citation

  • Itai Ater & Oren Rigbi, 2023. "Price Transparency, Media, and Informative Advertising," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 1-29, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:15:y:2023:i:1:p:1-29
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20200337
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Strasser, Georg & Wieland, Elisabeth & Macias, Paweł & Błażejowska, Aneta & Szafranek, Karol & Wittekopf, David & Franke, Jörn & Henkel, Lukas & Osbat, Chiara, 2023. "E-commerce and price setting: evidence from Europe," Occasional Paper Series 320, European Central Bank.
    2. Montag, Felix & Sagimuldina, Alina & Winter, Christoph, 2024. "When does mandatory price disclosure lower prices? Evidence from the German fuel market," Working Papers 344, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    3. Diego Aparicio & Zachary Metzman & Roberto Rigobon, 2024. "The pricing strategies of online grocery retailers," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Dedola, Luca & Ehrmann, Michael & Hoffmann, Peter & Lamo, Ana & Paz-Pardo, Gonzalo & Slacalek, Jiri & Strasser, Georg, 2023. "Digitalisation and the economy," Working Paper Series 2809, European Central Bank.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • L88 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Government Policy
    • M37 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Advertising

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