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Competitive Cross-Subsidization

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  • Chen, Zhijun
  • Rey, Patrick

Abstract

Cross-subsidization arises naturally when firms with different comparative ad- vantages compete for consumers with diverse shopping patterns. Firms then face a form of co-opetition, being substitutes for one-stop shoppers and complements for multi-stop shoppers. Competition for one-stop shoppers then drives total prices down to cost, but firms subsidize weak products with the profit made on strong products. While firms and consumers would benefit from cooperation limiting cross- subsidization (e.g., through price caps), banning below-cost pricing instead increases firms’ profits at the expense of one-stop shoppers; this calls for a cautious use of below-cost pricing regulations in competitive markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Zhijun & Rey, Patrick, 2013. "Competitive Cross-Subsidization," TSE Working Papers 13-450, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Nov 2018.
    • Handle: RePEc:tse:wpaper:27777
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Stephane Caprice & Shiva Shekhar, 2019. "Negative market value and loss leading," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(1), pages 94-103.
    3. Caprice, Stéphane & Shekhar, Shiva, 2017. "Negative consumer value and loss leading," TSE Working Papers 17-835, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    4. Zhou, Wei & Zhang, Keang & Zhang, Ying & Duan, Yunlong, 2021. "Operation strategies with respect to insurance subsidy optimization for online retailers dealing with large items," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    5. Jorge Florez-Acosta & Daniel Herrera-Araujo, 2017. "Multiproduct retailing and buyer power: The effects of product delisting on consumer shopping behavior," PSE Working Papers halshs-01467435, HAL.
    6. David Lowing & Léa Munich & Kevin Techer, 2024. "Allocating the common costs of a public service operator: an axiomatic approach," Working Papers of BETA 2024-03, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    7. David Lowing & Léa Munich & Kevin Techer, 2024. "Allocating the common costs of a public service operator: an axiomatic approach," Working Papers 2024-05, CRESE.
    8. Yuta KITTAKA, 2018. "Multiproduct Firms, Consumer Search, and Demand Heterogeneity," ISER Discussion Paper 1024r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Oct 2019.
    9. Zhou, Xiaoyang & Chen, Kexin & Wen, Haoyu & Lin, Jun & Zhang, Kai & Tian, Xin & Wang, Shouyang & Lev, Benjamin, 2021. "Integration of third-party platforms: Does it really hurt them?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cross-subsidization; shopping patterns; multiproduct competition; co-opetition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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