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Product Quality and Consumer Search

Author

Listed:
  • José L. Moraga-González
  • Yajie Sun

Abstract

An increase in quality shifts up the distribution of match utilities offered by firms and makes consumers pickier. The number of products that consumers inspect does not necessarily increase in quality. Higher search costs may lead to less quality investment, and the equilibrium price may decrease. If the equilibrium is inefficient, it is because of the inadequacy of quality investment. The market level of quality investment is excessive (insufficient) and consumers are too (little) picky from the point of view of welfare maximization if and only if a rise in quality results in consumers inspecting a higher (lower) number of products.

Suggested Citation

  • José L. Moraga-González & Yajie Sun, 2023. "Product Quality and Consumer Search," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 117-141, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:15:y:2023:i:1:p:117-41
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20200300
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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