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Quality Differentiation and Trade Intermediation

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  • Heiwai Tang
  • Yifan Zhang

Abstract

Existing studies show that intermediaries can help verify or screen product quality for buyers. This paper examines this claim both theoretically and empirically in the context of international trade. We develop a heterogeneous-firm model that features vertical and horizontal differentiations of products, a coexistence of direct exporting and indirect exporting through intermediaries, and firms' investment in quality signaling. When complete contracts are not available, intermediaries underinvest in quality signaling from the perspective of the producer. For products that are more horizontally differentiated, competition is less intense and even low-quality firms export via intermediaries. These two mechanisms yield a negative (positive) cross-product relation between vertical (horizontal) differentiation and the prevalence of trade intermediation. Intermediation is more prevalent in the more (both physically and culturally) distant destinations, more so for the more vertically and horizontally differentiated products. Using detailed product-level data from China, we find supporting evidence for these predications.

Suggested Citation

  • Heiwai Tang & Yifan Zhang, 2012. "Quality Differentiation and Trade Intermediation," Discussion Papers Series, Department of Economics, Tufts University 0771, Department of Economics, Tufts University.
    • Handle: RePEc:tuf:tuftec:0771
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    Cited by:

    1. Heiwai Tang & Yifan Zhang, 2012. "Exchange Rates and the Margins of Trade: Evidence from Chinese Exporters," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 58(4), pages 671-702, December.
    2. Yunyan Wei, 2024. "Gender matters: board gender diversity and firms’ export resilience," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Araujo, Luis & Mion, Giordano & Ornelas, Emanuel, 2016. "Institutions and export dynamics," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 2-20.
    4. Ma, Yue & Tang, Heiwai & Zhang, Yifan, 2014. "Factor Intensity, product switching, and productivity: Evidence from Chinese exporters," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 349-362.
    5. Haichao Fan & Yao Amber Li & Stephen R. Yeaple, 2015. "Trade Liberalization, Quality, and Export Prices," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 97(5), pages 1033-1051, December.
    6. Sharat Ganapati, 2025. "The Modern Wholesaler: Global Sourcing, Domestic Distribution, and Scale Economies," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 1-40, February.
    7. Jennifer Abel-Koch, 2013. "Who Uses Intermediaries in International Trade? Evidence from Firm-level Survey Data," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(8), pages 1041-1064, August.
    8. Ryan Monarch, 2014. ""It's Not You, It's Me": Breakup In U.S.-China Trade Relationships," Working Papers 14-08, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    9. Sandra Poncet & Meina Xu, 2018. "Quality screening and trade intermediaries: Evidence from China," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 223-256, February.
    10. Rollo, Valentina, 2012. "Determinants of Tanzanian export prices," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6225, The World Bank.
    11. Liu, Xuepeng & Shi, Huimin & Ferrantino, Michael, 2016. "Tax evasion through trade intermediation: Evidence from Chinese exporters," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 518-535.
    12. Nucci, Francesco & Pietrovito, Filomena & Pozzolo, Alberto Franco, 2023. "Intermediated trade and credit constraints: The case of firm’s imports," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 201-220.
    13. Kapri, Kul, 2021. "Court fairness and firm level export decisions," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 269-277.
    14. Jackie M.L. Chan, 2015. "Trade Intermediation, Financial Frictions, and the Gains from Trade," Discussion Papers 15-009, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
    15. Bo Chen & Junjie Hong & Ran Jing & Xiaonan Sun, 2021. "Demand shocks, financial costs, and export margins: Evidence from China," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 780-801, September.
    16. Gabor Bekes & Balázs Murakozy, 2015. "The ladder of foreign sales: Internationalization modes of European firms," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 1527, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    17. Ronald Davies & Tine Jeppesen, 2015. "Export mode, firm heterogeneity, and source country characteristics," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 151(2), pages 169-195, May.
    18. Daunfeldt, Sven-Olov & Engberg, Erik & Halvarsson, Daniel & Kokko, Ari & Tingvall, Patrik, 2019. "Wholesale firms: A catalyst for Swedish exports?," Ratio Working Papers 328, The Ratio Institute.
    19. Wang, Yaqi & Yu, Miaojie, 2021. "Imports and RMB exchange rate pass-through: The role of quality sorting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 470-487.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade intermediation; vertical differentiation; product differentiation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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