IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orisre/v30y2019i3p856-871.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does It Pay to Shroud In-App Purchase Prices?

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffrey D. Shulman

    (Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195)

  • Xianjun Geng

    (A. B. Freeman School of Business, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118)

Abstract

Application (app) developers commonly sell their apps at relatively low prices and subsequently earn substantial revenue from in-app purchases. Although some consumers may do their research about in-app prices before deciding whether to buy the app, others only discover the in-app prices later in the purchase process. This paper presents an analytical model to examine the profit and welfare implications of hidden prices of the in-app purchases. This paper has three main contributions. First, it finds a profit-improvement effect of hidden prices under circumstances for which prior literature finds profit irrelevance. In this regard, the model identifies a new mechanism driving the profit-improvement result. Second, it finds when app developers can be made better off by platforms disclosing in-app purchase prices. Third, it shows how platform decisions intended to improve pricing transparency may actually diminish consumer welfare. We also consider a model variation whereby app developers can shroud in-app prices. The findings have implications for app developers considering hidden in-app purchases, as well as platforms such as Google, Apple, and Amazon, which can restrict this practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey D. Shulman & Xianjun Geng, 2019. "Does It Pay to Shroud In-App Purchase Prices?," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 856-871, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:30:y:2019:i:3:p:856-871
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.2019.0835
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2019.0835
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/isre.2019.0835?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marius F. Niculescu & D. J. Wu, 2014. "Economics of Free Under Perpetual Licensing: Implications for the Software Industry," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 25(1), pages 173-199, March.
    2. Yong Chao & Timothy Derdenger, 2013. "Mixed Bundling in Two-Sided Markets in the Presence of Installed Base Effects," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(8), pages 1904-1926, August.
    3. Glenn Ellison, 2005. "A Model of Add-On Pricing," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 585-637.
    4. Frank Verboven, 1999. "Product Line Rivalry and Market Segmentation—with an Application to Automobile Optional Engine Pricing," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 399-425, December.
    5. Yifan Dou & Yu Jeffrey Hu & D. J. Wu, 2017. "Selling or Leasing? Pricing Information Goods with Depreciation of Consumer Valuation," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 585-602, September.
    6. Alessandro Acquisti & Hal R. Varian, 2005. "Conditioning Prices on Purchase History," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 367-381, May.
    7. Xavier Gabaix & David Laibson, 2018. "Shrouded attributes, consumer myopia and information suppression in competitive markets," Chapters, in: Victor J. Tremblay & Elizabeth Schroeder & Carol Horton Tremblay (ed.), Handbook of Behavioral Industrial Organization, chapter 3, pages 40-74, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Rajiv Dewan & Bing Jing & Abraham Seidmann, 2003. "Product Customization and Price Competition on the Internet," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(8), pages 1055-1070, August.
    9. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    10. Herbert A. Simon, 1955. "A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 69(1), pages 99-118.
    11. van der Lans, Ralf & Pieters, Rik & Wedel, Michel, 2008. "Eye-Movement Analysis of Search Effectiveness," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103, pages 452-461, June.
    12. Kyle, Albert S, 1985. "Continuous Auctions and Insider Trading," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 53(6), pages 1315-1335, November.
    13. Barry Nalebuff, 2004. "Bundling as an Entry Barrier," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 159-187.
    14. Glenn Ellison & Sara Fisher Ellison, 2009. "Search, Obfuscation, and Price Elasticities on the Internet," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(2), pages 427-452, March.
    15. Bikram Ghosh & Subramanian Balachander, 2007. "Research Note--Competitive Bundling and Counterbundling with Generalist and Specialist Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(1), pages 159-168, January.
    16. Gupta, Alok & Stahl, Dale O. & Whinston, Andrew B., 1997. "A stochastic equilibrium model of internet pricing," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 21(4-5), pages 697-722, May.
    17. Jeffrey D. Shulman & Xianjun Geng, 2013. "Add-on Pricing by Asymmetric Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(4), pages 899-917, April.
    18. Lal, Rajiv & Matutes, Carmen, 1994. "Retail Pricing and Advertising Strategies," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 67(3), pages 345-370, July.
    19. Jennifer Brown & Tanjim Hossain & John Morgan, 2010. "Shrouded Attributes and Information Suppression: Evidence from the Field," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(2), pages 859-876.
    20. Brynjolfsson, Erik & Dick, Astrid Andrea & Smith, Michael D., 2004. "Search and Product Differentiation at an Internet Shopbot," Working papers 4441-03, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    21. Hemant K. Bhargava & Vidyanand Choudhary, 2008. "Research Note--When Is Versioning Optimal for Information Goods?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(5), pages 1029-1035, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hu, Li & Ma, Hoi-Lam & Wang, Li & Liu, Yang, 2023. "Hiding or disclosing? Information discrimination in member-only discounts," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Xingyue (Luna) Zhang & Ruomeng Cui & Oliver Yao, 2023. "The version effect of apps and operating systems in mobile commerce," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(2), pages 637-654, February.
    3. Ye Shi & Layth C. Alwan & Srinivasan Raghunathan & Yugang Yu & Xiaohang Yue, 2021. "Mobile Consumer Scanning Technology: A Replacement for Interorganizational Information Systems for Demand Information Learning in Supply Chains?," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(4), pages 1431-1449, December.
    4. Can Sun & Yonghua Ji, 2022. "For Better or For Worse: Impacts of IoT Technology in e‐Commerce Channel," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(3), pages 1353-1371, March.
    5. Jang, Seongsoo & Chung, Jaihak, 2021. "What drives add-on sales in mobile games? The role of inter-price relationship and product popularity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 59-68.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jeffrey D. Shulman & Xianjun Geng, 2013. "Add-on Pricing by Asymmetric Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(4), pages 899-917, April.
    2. Marco Savioli & Lorenzo Zirulia, 2020. "Does add-on presence always lead to lower baseline prices? Theory and evidence," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 143-172, March.
    3. M. Savioli & L. Zirulia, 2015. "Add-on pricing: theory and evidence from the cruise industry," Working Papers wp1026, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    4. Xavier Gabaix, 2017. "Behavioral Inattention," NBER Working Papers 24096, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Qianbo Yin & Kwei‐Long Huang & Chia‐Wei Kuo & Sean X. Zhou, 2021. "Add‐On Pricing in a Distribution Channel," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(11), pages 4069-4088, November.
    6. Stole, Lars A., 2007. "Price Discrimination and Competition," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: Mark Armstrong & Robert Porter (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 34, pages 2221-2299, Elsevier.
    7. Chioveanu, Ioana & Zhou, Jidong, 2009. "Price Competition and Consumer Confusion," MPRA Paper 17340, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Ernst Fehr & Keyu Wu, 2021. "Obfuscation in competitive markets," ECON - Working Papers 391, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Feb 2023.
    9. Ioana Chioveanu & Jidong Zhou, 2013. "Price Competition with Consumer Confusion," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(11), pages 2450-2469, November.
    10. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    11. Ricardo Flores‐Fillol & Alberto Iozzi & Tommaso Valletti, 2018. "Platform pricing and consumer foresight: The case of airports," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 705-725, October.
    12. Song Lin, 2017. "Add-on Policies Under Vertical Differentiation: Why Do Luxury Hotels Charge for Internet While Economy Hotels Do Not?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 36(4), pages 610-625, July.
    13. Ginger Zhe Jin & Michael Luca & Daniel Martin, 2022. "Complex Disclosure," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(5), pages 3236-3261, May.
    14. Tom Blake & Sarah Moshary & Kane Sweeney & Steve Tadelis, 2021. "Price Salience and Product Choice," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(4), pages 619-636, July.
    15. Bennett Chiles, 2021. "Shrouded Prices and Firm Reputation: Evidence from the U.S. Hotel Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(2), pages 964-983, February.
    16. Shelle Santana & Steven K. Dallas & Vicki G. Morwitz, 2020. "Consumer Reactions to Drip Pricing," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 188-210, January.
    17. Adam Bockelie & Peter Belobaba, 2017. "Incorporating ancillary services in airline passenger choice models," Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 16(6), pages 553-568, December.
    18. Ghosh, Meenakshi, 2021. "Consumer naivete and competitive add-on pricing on platforms," MPRA Paper 109981, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Hu, Li & Ma, Hoi-Lam & Wang, Li & Liu, Yang, 2023. "Hiding or disclosing? Information discrimination in member-only discounts," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Glenn Ellison, 2005. "A Model of Add-On Pricing," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 585-637.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:30:y:2019:i:3:p:856-871. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.