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Platform Oligopoly with Endogenous Homing: Implications for Mergers and Free Entry

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  • Takanori ADACHI
  • Susumu SATO
  • Mark J. TREMBLAY

Abstract

Consumer multi-homing is considered to be critical for competition policy regarding digital platforms. To assess the role of consumer multi-homing in competition policy, we embed consumer multi-homing into a model of oligopolistic competition between two-sided platforms and apply it to mergers and free entry. We find that a required level of merger-specific cost reduction is larger if consumers benefit more from multi-homing and that the equilibrium level of platform entry can be insufficient in the presence of consumer multi-homing. We also show that reductions to sellers' benefit from multi- homing reduces entry (i.e., is an e ective barrier to entry). These results contrast the popular belief that multi-homing mitigates the need for stricter competition policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Takanori ADACHI & Susumu SATO & Mark J. TREMBLAY, 2022. "Platform Oligopoly with Endogenous Homing: Implications for Mergers and Free Entry," Discussion papers e-21-009, Graduate School of Economics , Kyoto University.
    • Handle: RePEc:kue:epaper:e-21-009
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Two-sided markets; Indict network externalities; Multi-homing; Platform entry; Platform mergers.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L40 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - General

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