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Bestseller Lists and the Economics of Product Discovery

Author

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  • Alan T. Sorensen

    (Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53711)

Abstract

Innovations in information technology have increased the prevalence of markets with large numbers of products. Each week, for example, an average of over 800 books are published, and an average of over 1,100 iOS apps are released in Apple's App Store. This review summarizes existing research about how consumers learn about new products in such markets, focusing on mechanisms like bestseller lists and user-generated product reviews. In addition to reviewing research findings about how these mechanisms directly influence sales, this article also discusses how these mechanisms affect broader market outcomes, such as the shape of the success distribution and the likelihood that good products are discovered.

Suggested Citation

  • Alan T. Sorensen, 2017. "Bestseller Lists and the Economics of Product Discovery," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 87-101, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reveco:v:9:y:2017:p:87-101
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-080614-115708
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Moldovan, Sarit & Shoham, Meyrav & Steinhart, Yael, 2023. "Sending mixed signals: How congruent versus incongruent signals of popularity affect product appeal," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 881-897.
    2. Sim, Jaeung & Park, Jea Gon & Cho, Daegon & Smith, Michael D. & Jung, Jaemin, 2022. "Bestseller lists and product discovery in the subscription-based market: Evidence from music streaming," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 550-567.
    3. Erdem Dogukan Yilmaz & Ivana Naumovska & Milan Miric, 2023. "Does imitation increase or decrease demand for an original product? Understanding the opposing effects of discovery and substitution," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 639-671, March.
    4. Knox, George & Datta, Hannes, 2020. "Streaming Services and the Homogenization of Music Consumption," Other publications TiSEM 0e4d6202-dcc5-4834-ba93-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    bestseller lists; product discovery; observational learning; long tail;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • M37 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Advertising

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