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Best Prices: Price Discrimination and Consumer Substitution

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  • Judith A. Chevalier
  • Anil K. Kashyap

Abstract

This paper proposes a method for aggregating prices when retailers use periodic sales to price-discriminate amongst heterogeneous customers. In the motivating model, loyal customers buy one brand and do not strategically time purchases, while Bargain Hunters always pay the lowest price available, the "best price." In the model, the best price is part of an exact price index. Accounting for the best price also substantially improves the empirical match between conventional price aggregation strategies and actual prices paid by consumers. The methodology improves inflation measurement while imposing little burden on the data-collection agency.

Suggested Citation

  • Judith A. Chevalier & Anil K. Kashyap, 2019. "Best Prices: Price Discrimination and Consumer Substitution," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 126-159, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:126-59
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.20150362
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ray, Sourav & Snir, Avichai & Levy, Daniel, 2023. "Retail Pricing Format and Rigidity of Regular Prices," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 1-1.
    2. Gordon Jochem Klein & Ralph Bernd Siebert & Ralph Siebert, 2024. "Why Do Prices Differ Across Stores? Differential Competition Environments and Their Price Impacts," CESifo Working Paper Series 11344, CESifo.
    3. Chen Yeh & David Argente, 2016. "A Menu Cost Model with Price Experimentation," 2016 Meeting Papers 1515, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Anderson, Eric & Malin, Benjamin A. & Nakamura, Emi & Simester, Duncan & Steinsson, Jón, 2017. "Informational rigidities and the stickiness of temporary Sales," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 64-83.
    5. Benjamin R. Shiller, 2022. "Discreet Personalized Pricing," CESifo Working Paper Series 10025, CESifo.
    6. Chloe Lee & Wen Long & María J. Luengo‐Prado & Bent E. Sørensen, 2021. "Selective bargain hunting: A concise test of rational consumer search," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(3), pages 1089-1105, July.
    7. Benjamin Eden & Maya Eden & Jonah Yuen, 2019. "Temporary sales in response to aggregate shocks," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 19-00003, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics.
    8. Kim, Seongeun, 2019. "Quality, price stickiness, and monetary policy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1-1.
    9. Sheremirov, Viacheslav, 2020. "Price dispersion and inflation: New facts and theoretical implications," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 59-70.
    10. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2024. "Household Inventory, Temporary Sales, Price Indices," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 217-251, February.
    11. Xavier Jaravel, 2016. "The Unequal Gains from Product Innovations," 2016 Meeting Papers 437, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    12. Luttmann, Alexander & Gaggero, Alberto A, 2020. "Purchase discounts and travel premiums during holiday periods: Evidence from the airline industry," MPRA Paper 104863, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing

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