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Why Suggest Non-Binding Retail Prices?

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Abstract

We provide a simple behavioral explanation of why manufacturers frequently announce non-binding suggested retail prices for their products. Our model is based on the assumption that once the actual price for a product exceeds its suggested retail price, the marginal propensity to consume suddenly jumps downward. This property of individual demand corresponds to Kahneman and Tversky’s concept of loss aversion. We show that it may induce a monopolistic retailer to set the price equal to the suggested retail price in equilibrium, although the latter price is nonbinding. This, in turn, leads to a shift of profits from the retailer to the manufacturer.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Puppe & S. Rosenkranz, 2006. "Why Suggest Non-Binding Retail Prices?," Working Papers 06-10, Utrecht School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:use:tkiwps:0610
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    1. Amos Tversky & Daniel Kahneman, 1991. "Loss Aversion in Riskless Choice: A Reference-Dependent Model," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 106(4), pages 1039-1061.
    2. Rosenkranz, Stephanie, 2003. "The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price," CEPR Discussion Papers 3954, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. B. Douglas Bernheim & Michael D. Whinston, 1985. "Common Marketing Agency as a Device for Facilitating Collusion," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 16(2), pages 269-281, Summer.
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    5. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Bruno Jullien & Patrick Rey, 2007. "Resale price maintenance and collusion," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 38(4), pages 983-1001, December.
    7. Joseph J. Spengler, 1950. "Vertical Integration and Antitrust Policy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(4), pages 347-347.
    8. Frank Mathewson & Ralph Winter, 1998. "The Law and Economics of Resale Price Maintenance," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 13(1), pages 57-84, April.
    9. Kahneman, Daniel, 1992. "Reference points, anchors, norms, and mixed feelings," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 296-312, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lisa Bruttel, 2018. "The Effects of Recommended Retail Prices on Consumer and Retailer Behaviour," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 85(339), pages 649-668, July.
    2. Halbheer, Daniel & Bertini, Marco & Buehler, Stefan, 2018. "Consumer Resistance," HEC Research Papers Series 1251, HEC Paris, revised 16 Feb 2018.
    3. De los Santos, Babur & Kim, In Kyung & Lubensky, Dmitry, 2018. "Do MSRPs decrease prices?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 429-457.
      • Babur De los Santos & In Kyung Kim & Dmitry Lubensky, 2013. "Do MSRPs Decrease Prices?," Working Papers 2013-13, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy.
    4. Dmitry Lubensky, 2017. "A model of recommended retail prices," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 48(2), pages 358-386, May.
    5. Stefan Buehler & Dennis L. Gärtner, 2013. "Making Sense of Nonbinding Retail-Price Recommendations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(1), pages 335-359, February.
    6. Fabrizi, Simona & Lippert, Steffen & Puppe, Clemens & Rosenkranz, Stephanie, 2016. "Manufacturer suggested retail prices, loss aversion and competition," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 141-153.
    7. Haan, Marco A. & Heijnen, Pim & Obradovits, Martin, 2023. "Competition with list prices," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 502-528.
    8. Lisa Bruttel, 2014. "The Effects of Non-binding Retail-price Recommendations on Consumer and Retailer Behavior," TWI Research Paper Series 93, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    9. Kris De Jaegher, 2019. "Strategic framing to influence clients’ risky decisions," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 86(3), pages 437-462, May.
    10. Mark Armstrong & Yongmin Chen, 2020. "Discount Pricing," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(4), pages 1614-1627, October.
    11. Buratto, Alessandra & Cesaretto, Rudy & De Giovanni, Pietro, 2019. "Consignment contracts with cooperative programs and price discount mechanisms in a dynamic supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 72-82.

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    Keywords

    manufacturer's suggested retail price; reference dependence; loss aversion;
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