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A model of merchants

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  • Watanabe, Makoto

Abstract

I propose a simple model of merchants who are specialized in buying and selling a homogeneous good. Facing the same frictions as in the buyer-seller direct trades, merchants can make profits with an ability to buy and sell many units of the good. They set the price to compete in the market and provide buyers with a strong likelihood of obtaining the good. This paper establishes a turnover equilibrium where some agents choose to become merchants endogenously. An interesting multiplicity can emerge.

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  • Watanabe, Makoto, 2010. "A model of merchants," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 145(5), pages 1865-1889, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:145:y:2010:i:5:p:1865-1889
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    Cited by:

    1. Pieter Gautier & Bo Hu & Makoto Watanabe, 2023. "Marketmaking Middlemen," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 54(1), pages 83-103, March.
    2. Oksana Loginova & Andrea Mantovani, 2019. "Price competition in the presence of a web aggregator," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 126(1), pages 43-73, January.
    3. Leung, Charles Ka Yui & Tse, Chung-Yi, 2017. "Flipping in the housing market," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 232-263.
    4. Duffie, Darrell & Qiao, Lei & Sun, Yeneng, 2018. "Dynamic directed random matching," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 124-183.
    5. Klaus Kultti & Tuomas Takalo & Oskari Vähämaa, 2021. "Intermediation in a directed search model," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 456-471, May.
    6. Kuniavsky, Sergey, 2014. "Consumer Search With Chain Stores," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100468, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Moraga-Gonzalez, Jose L. & Wildenbeest, Matthijs R., 2011. "Comparison sites," IESE Research Papers D/933, IESE Business School.
      • Jose Luis Moraga-Gonzalez & Matthijs R. Wildenbeest, 2011. "Comparison Sites," Working Papers 2011-04, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy.
    8. Makoto Watanabe, 2018. "Middle Men: The Visible Market-Makers," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 69(2), pages 156-170, June.
    9. Daniele Condorelli & Andrea Galeotti & Vasiliki Skreta, 2018. "Selling through referrals," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 669-685, October.
    10. Kirill Shakhnov, 2022. "The Allocation of Talent: Finance versus Entrepreneurship," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 46, pages 161-195, October.
    11. Godenhielm Mats & Kultti Klaus, 2015. "Directed Search with Endogenous Capacity," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 211-249, July.
    12. Randall Wright & Yuet‐Yee Wong, 2014. "Buyers, Sellers, And Middlemen: Variations On Search‐Theoretic Themes," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55(2), pages 375-397, May.
    13. Petrikaite, Vaiva & Hämäläinen, Saara, 2018. "Mobility with private information and privacy suppression," CEPR Discussion Papers 12860, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. José L. Moraga-González & Makoto Watanabe & José Luis Moraga Gonzalez, 2023. "Price Equilibrium with Selling Constraints," CESifo Working Paper Series 10583, CESifo.
    15. Moraga-González, José-Luis & Watanabe, Makoto, 2020. "Selling Constraints," CEPR Discussion Papers 14718, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    16. Fernández-Blanco, Javier, 2012. "A directed search model of intermediated trade," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1481-1494.
    17. Geromichalos, Athanasios, 2012. "Directed search and optimal production," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(6), pages 2303-2331.
    18. Yuet-Yee Wong & Randall Wright, 2011. "Buyers, sellers and middlemen: variations in search theory," Working Papers 691, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    19. Ed Nosal & Yuet‐Yee Wong & Randall Wright, 2015. "More on Middlemen: Equilibrium Entry and Efficiency in Intermediated Markets," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(S2), pages 7-37, June.
    20. Holzner, Christian Ludwig & Watanabe, Makoto, 2015. "Labor Market Equilibrium with Public Employment Agency," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113097, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    21. Nosal, Ed & Wong, Yuet-Yee & Wright, Randall, 2019. "Intermediation in markets for goods and markets for assets," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 876-906.
    22. Kuniavsky, Sergey, 2014. "Consumer Search with Chain Stores," Discussion Papers in Economics 20799, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    23. Arya, Anil & Löffler, Clemens & Mittendorf, Brian & Pfeiffer, Thomas, 2015. "The middleman as a panacea for supply chain coordination problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(2), pages 393-400.
    24. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2018_020 is not listed on IDEAS
    25. Klaus Kultti & Tuomas Takalo & Oskari Vähämaa, 2021. "Intermediation in a directed search model," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 456-471, May.

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