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Entrepreneurs of emotions: evidence from street vending in India

Author

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  • Ronak Jain

Abstract

Street vending is an important source of self-employment for the urban poor. I combine observational, survey, and experimental data from Delhi to study this market. Partnering with vendors to randomize prices and passersby they solicit, I find that even with identical goods, child vendors are 97% more likely to make a sale and earn 2x more than adult vendors. Despite no differences in valuations, couples and women are 90% and 28% more likely to buy than men and they are targeted more often and quoted higher prices. I show that sellers strategically leverage insights about social preferences to influence buyer decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronak Jain, 2024. "Entrepreneurs of emotions: evidence from street vending in India," ECON - Working Papers 451, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:zur:econwp:451
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    File URL: https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/262347/1/econwp451.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social preferences; child labor; price discrimination; consumer behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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