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Working Less and Bargain Hunting More: Macroimplications of Sales during Japan's Lost Decades

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  • NAO SUDO
  • KOZO UEDA
  • KOTA WATANABE
  • TSUTOMU WATANABE

Abstract

Standard New Keynesian models have often neglected temporary sales. In this study, we ask whether this treatment is appropriate. We use Japanese scanner data covering the last two decades and find a negative correlation between the frequency of sales and hours worked. We then construct a model that takes households' decisions regarding their allocation of time for work, leisure, and bargain hunting into account. We show that the decline in hours worked explains the rise in the frequency of sales. The real effect of monetary policy shocks weakens by around 40% due to temporary sales, but monetary policy still matters.

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  • Nao Sudo & Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2018. "Working Less and Bargain Hunting More: Macroimplications of Sales during Japan's Lost Decades," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(2-3), pages 449-478, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jmoncb:v:50:y:2018:i:2-3:p:449-478
    DOI: 10.1111/jmcb.12467
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    Cited by:

    1. Yoshiyuki Kurachi & Kazuhiro Hiraki & Shinichi Nishioka, 2016. "Does a Higher Frequency of Micro-level Price Changes Matter for Macro Price Stickiness?: Assessing the Impact of Temporary Price Changes," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 16-E-9, Bank of Japan.
    2. Ueda, Kozo, 2020. "Dynamic cost of living index for storable goods," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    3. Ueda, Kozo, 2023. "Duopolistic competition and monetary policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 70-85.
    4. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2018. "Product Turnover and the Cost of Living Index: Quality vs. Fashion Effects," Globalization Institute Working Papers 337, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    5. Takahashi, Shuhei, 2021. "The uniqueness of steady-state equilibrium under state-dependent pricing: The case of deflation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    6. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2021. "Household Inventory, Temporary Sales, and Price Indices," Working Papers on Central Bank Communication 033, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics.
    7. Oleksiy Kryvtsov & Nicolas Vincent, 2014. "On the Importance of Sales for Aggregate Price Flexibility," Staff Working Papers 14-45, Bank of Canada.
    8. Shuhei Takahashi, 2018. "Does State-Dependent Wage Setting Generate Multiple Equilibria?," KIER Working Papers 991, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    9. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2020. "Consumer Inventory and the Cost of Living Index: Theory and Some Evidence from Japan," Working Papers on Central Bank Communication 025, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics.
    10. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2024. "Household Inventory, Temporary Sales, Price Indices," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 217-251, February.
    11. Nao Sudo & Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe, 2014. "Micro Price Dynamics during Japan's Lost Decades," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 9(1), pages 44-64, January.
    12. Masahiro Higo & Shigenori Shiratsuka, 2022. "Was Inflation Observed under the First Wave of the COVID-19 Spread in Japan? Scanner Data Evidence for Retailers in Tokyo," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2022-013, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    13. Glandon, PJ, 2018. "Sales and the (Mis)measurement of price level fluctuations," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 60-77.
    14. Hibiki Ichiue & Maiko Koga & Tatsushi Okuda & Tatsuya Ozaki, 2019. "Households' Liquidity Constraint, Optimal Attention Allocation, and Inflation Expectations," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 19-E-8, Bank of Japan.
    15. Higo, Masahiro & Shiratsuka, Shigenori, 2023. "Consumer price measurement under the first wave of the COVID-19 spread in Japan: Scanner data evidence for retailers in Tokyo," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    16. Naoko Hara & Kazuhiro Hiraki & Yoshitaka Ichise, 2015. "Changing Exchange Rate Pass-Through in Japan: Does It Indicate Changing Pricing Behavior?," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 15-E-4, Bank of Japan.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
    • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit

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