Customer recognition and competition

Arbeitspapier

We introduce three types of consumer recognition: identity recognition, asymmetric preference recognition, and symmetric preference recognition. We characterize price equilibria and compare profits, consumer surplus, and total welfare. Asymmetric preference recognition enhances profits compared with identity recognition, but firms have no incentive to exchange information regarding customer-specific preferences (symmetric preference recognition). Consumers would benefit from a policy panning information exchange regarding individual consumer preferences. Our welfare analysis shows that the gains to firms from uniform pricing (no recognition) are larger than the associated harm to consumers, regardless of which regime of customer recognition serves as the basis for comparison.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Working Papers ; No. 11-7

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
• Subject: customer recognition ; price discrimination ; behavior-based pricing ; Betriebliche Preispolitik ; Preisdifferenzierung ; Konsumentenverhalten ; Zielgruppe ; Asymmetrische Information ; Marktforschung

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Shy, Oz ; Stenbacka, Rune
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
• (where): Boston, MA
• (when): 2011

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/55651
• Last update: 15.05.2008, 7:31 AM CEST