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Le commerce électronique en France : un essai de mesure sur le marché des CD

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  • Sophie Larribeau
  • Thierry Pénard

Abstract

[fre] Le commerce électronique en France: un essai de mesure sur le marché des CD . . En France, le commerce électronique connaît un fort développement depuis 1999, même si les volumes de transaction restent encore modestes. Au-delà de ce succès relatif, la vente sur Internet suscite de nombreuses questions. Quelles sont les spécificités du commerce électronique par rapport au commerce traditionnel? Les marchés sur Internet sont-ils plus concurrentiels que les marchés physiques? Afin de mieux comprendre les stratégies des vendeurs en ligne de disques, les prix d’un panel de CD ont été recueillis de mai à octobre 2000 auprès des principaux «cyberdisquaires» français. Les prix des CD sur Internet apparaissent en moyenne inférieurs de plus de 7 % aux prix en magasin, cette différence étant plus sensible sur les CD étrangers (12 % d’écart) que sur les CD français (moins de 2 % d’écart). Pour chacun des CD apparaît une forte dispersion des prix entre les cyberdisquaires, ainsi qu’une volatilité des prix importante sur la période étudiée. Les sites les plus connus (ayant fait l’objet de campagnes publicitaires) pratiquent des prix plus élevés que les sites de moindre notoriété et procèdent aussi à des changements de prix de plus grande ampleur. Les analyses économétriques permettent de révéler des phénomènes de cycles dans les décisions de prix (alternance de hausses et de baisses de prix) et l’existence d’interactions stratégiques entre les cyberdisquaires. Toutefois, l’ancienneté des CD réduit ces deux phénomènes et conduit à une stabilité des prix. De plus, les cyberdisquaires pratiquent moins de baisses de prix sur les CD français que sur les CD étrangers. [eng] E-Commerce in France: a Test Measurement of the CD Market . . E-commerce has boomed in France since 1999, albeit with still modest transaction volumes. Yet despite this relative success, the issue of selling on the Internet begs numerous questions. How does e-commerce differ from traditional trade? Are Internet markets more competitive than physical markets? In order to gain a better understanding of the strategies employed by on-line record dealers, the prices of a sample of CDs were collected from leading French online record dealers from May to October 2000. CD prices on the Internet were found to be more than 7% lower on average than shop prices. A greater difference was found for foreign CDs (12% deviation) than for French CDs (less than 2% deviation). The prices of each CD vary a great deal from one on-line record dealer to the next and high price volatility is found for the period studied. The most well-known sites (publicised by advertising campaigns) practise higher prices than the lesser known sites and also make greater price changes. The econometric analyses reveal cyclical phenomena in the pricing decisions (alternating price rises and cuts) and the existence of strategic interactions between online record dealers. Nevertheless, the age of the CDs reduces these two phenomena and results in price stability. Moreover, on-line record dealers make fewer price cuts on French CDs than foreign CDs. [ger] Elektronischer Handel in Frankreich: Versuch einer Messung am CD-Markt . . In Frankreich verzeichnet der elektronische Handel seit 1999 ein starkes Wachstum, auch wenn das Transaktionsvolumen noch recht bescheiden ist. Ungeachtet dieses relativen Erfolgs wirft der Verkauf über Internet zahlreiche Fragen auf. Wodurch zeichnet sich der elektronische Handel gegenüber dem traditionellen Handel besonders aus? Sind die Internet-Märkte wettbewerbsorientierter als die physischen Märkte? Um die Strategien der Online-Verkäufer von CD besser verstehen zu können, wurden die Preise eines CDPanels von Mai bis Oktober 2000 bei den wichtigsten französischen «CD-Cyberverkäufern» erfasst. Im Durchschnitt liegen die Internet-CD-Preise um mehr als 7 % unter den Ladenpreisen, wobei diese Differenz bei den ausländischen CD (Abweichung von 12 %) ausgeprägter ist als bei den französischen CD (weniger als 2 % Abweichung). Bei jeder CD sind eine große Streuung der Preise zwischen den CD-Cyberverkäufern sowie eine große Preisvolatilität im untersuchten Zeitraum zu beobachten. Die bekanntesten Sites (die Werbekampagnen durchführten) verlangen höhere Preise als die weniger bekannten Sites und nehmen auch umfassendere Preisänderungen vor. Den ökonometrischen Analysen ist zu entnehmen, dass bei den Preisentscheidungen (abwechselnde Preiserhöhungen und -senkungen) zyklische Phänomene eine Rolle spielen und zwischen den CD-Cyberverkäufern strategische Wechselwirkungen bestehen. Bei älteren CD nimmt der Einfluss dieser beiden Phänomene allerdings ab, sodass deren Preise stabil sind. Zudem gewähren die CD-Cyberverkäufer weniger Preisnachlässe auf französische CD als auf ausländische CD. [spa] El comercio electrónico en Francia: un ensayo de medición sobre el mercado de los CD’s . . En Francia, el comercio electrónico conoce un fuerte desarrollo desde 1999, aunque los volúmenes de transacción siguen siendo modestos. Más allá de ese éxito relativo, la venta por Internet suscita muchas preguntas. ¿ Cuáles son las especifidades del comercio electrónico en comparación con el comercio tradicional? ¿ Hay más competencia en los mercados sobre Internet que en los mercados físicos? Para comprender mejor las estrategias de los vendedores en línea de discos, los precios de un panel de CD’s han sido recogidos de mayo a octubre 2000 entre los principales «ciberdiscarios» franceses. Los precios de los CD’s en Internet en un promedio resultan ser inferiores en más del 7 % a los precios en almacenes, esta diferencia es mayor para los CD’s extranjeros (del 12 %) que para los CD’s franceses (menos del 2 % de diferencia). Para cada uno de los CD’s se da una fuerte dispersión de los precios entre los ciberdiscarios, así como una volatilidad de los precios importante en el periodo estudiado. Los sitios más famosos (los que han hecho campañas publicatarias) practican unos precios más altos que los sitios de menor notoriedad y hacen también mayores cambios de precios. Los análisis econométricos permiten revelar fenómenos de ciclo en las decisiones de precios (alternancia de alzas y bajas de precios) y la existencia de interacciones estratégicas entre los ciberdiscarios. Sin embargo, la antigüedad de los CD’s reduce esos dos fenómenos y conduce a una estabilidad de los precios. Además, los ciberdiscarios practican menos bajas de precios sobre los CD’s franceses que sobre los CD’s extranjeros. . . . .

Suggested Citation

  • Sophie Larribeau & Thierry Pénard, 2002. "Le commerce électronique en France : un essai de mesure sur le marché des CD," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 355(1), pages 27-46.
  • Handle: RePEc:prs:ecstat:estat_0336-1454_2002_num_355_1_7371
    DOI: 10.3406/estat.2002.7371
    Note: DOI:10.3406/estat.2002.7371
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    1. Karen Clay & Ramayya Krishnan & Eric Wolff, 2001. "Prices and Price Dispersion on the Web: Evidence from the Online Book Industry," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 521-539, December.
    2. repec:bla:jindec:v:49:y:2001:i:4:p:441-61 is not listed on IDEAS
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    1. Delphine Irac & Claire Célérier & Philippe Askenazy, 2010. "Vente à distance, internet et dynamiques des prix," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 194(3), pages 1-13.
    2. Raphaël Suire & Thierry Pénard & Fabrice Le Guel, 2005. "Adoption et usage marchand de l’Internet : une étude économétrique sur données bretonnes," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 167(1), pages 67-84.

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