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Consumer Inertia, Choice Dependence, and Learning from Experience in a Repeated Decision Problem

Author

Listed:
  • Eugenio J. Miravete

    (University of Texas at Austin Centre for Competition Policy-UEA, and CEPR)

  • Ignacio Palacios-Huerta

    (London School of Economics, Athletic Club de Bilbao, and Ikerbasque Foundation at UPV/EHU)

Abstract

Understanding when and how individuals think about real-life problems is a central question in economics. This paper studies the role of inertia (inattention), state dependence, and learning. The empirical setting is a tariff experiment, when optional measured tariffs for local telephone calls were introduced unanticipatedly. We find that consumers tend to align their choices of tariff and telephone use levels correctly. Despite low potential savings, mistakes are not permanent, as individuals actively engage in tariff switching in order to reduce the monthly cost of telephone service. Ignoring unobservable heterogeneity and the endogeneity of past choices would have reversed these results. © 2014 The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Suggested Citation

  • Eugenio J. Miravete & Ignacio Palacios-Huerta, 2014. "Consumer Inertia, Choice Dependence, and Learning from Experience in a Repeated Decision Problem," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(3), pages 524-537, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:96:y:2014:i:3:p:524-537
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bjørn-Atle Reme & Helene Lie Røhr & Morten Sæthre, 2022. "Inattention in Contract Markets: Evidence from a Consolidation of Options in Telecom," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 1019-1038, February.
    2. Ali Hortaçsu & Seyed Ali Madanizadeh & Steven L. Puller, 2017. "Power to Choose? An Analysis of Consumer Inertia in the Residential Electricity Market," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 192-226, November.
    3. Jin, Haofeng & Lu, Zhentong & Huang, Liqiang & Dou, Junsheng, 2021. "Not too much nor too little: Salience bias in mobile plan choices," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(4).
    4. Jin, Haofeng, 2022. "The effect of overspending on tariff choices and customer churn: Evidence from mobile plan choices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Quaglione, Davide & Cassetta, Ernesto & Crociata, Alessandro & Marra, Alessandro & Sarra, Alessandro, 2019. "An assessment of the role of cultural capital on sustainable mobility behaviours: Conceptual framework and empirical evidence," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 24-34.
    6. Yeo, Jungwon & Miller, Daniel P., 2018. "Estimating switching costs with market share data: an application to Medicare Part D," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 459-501.
    7. Christos Genakos & Tommaso Valletti & Frank Verboven, 2018. "Evaluating market consolidation in mobile communications," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 33(93), pages 45-100.
    8. John Gathergood & David Hirshleifer & David Leake & Hiroaki Sakaguchi & Neil Stewart, 2023. "Naïve Buying Diversification and Narrow Framing by Individual Investors," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 78(3), pages 1705-1741, June.
    9. Christos Genakos & Costas Roumanias & Tommaso Valletti, 2015. "Loss Aversion on the Phone," CEP Discussion Papers dp1373, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    10. Martins, Lurdes & Szrek, Helena, 2019. "The impact of the decision environment on consumer choice of mobile service plans: An experimental examination," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 20-32.
    11. Joan Calzada & Fernando Martínez-Santos, 2016. "Pricing strategies and competition in the mobile broadband market," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 70-98, August.
    12. Schneider, Ulrich, 2019. "Identification of Time Preferences in Dynamic Discrete Choice Models: Exploiting Choice Restrictions," MPRA Paper 102137, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 29 Jul 2020.
    13. Nicola Branzoli, 2016. "Price dispersion and consumer inattention: evidence from the market of bank accounts," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1082, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    14. Hongli Xu & Hai Yang & Jing Zhou & Yafeng Yin, 2017. "A Route Choice Model with Context-Dependent Value of Time," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(2), pages 536-548, May.
    15. Jõeveer, Karin & Kepp, Kaido, 2023. "What drives drivers? Switching, learning, and the impact of claims in car insurance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    16. Agnese Carella & Valentina Michelangeli, 2021. "Information or persuasion in the mortgage market: the role of brand names," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1340, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    tariffs; telephone use; inertia; state dependence; learning; tariff switching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D41 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Perfect Competition

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