Durable services monopolists do better than durable goods monopolists

John Spicer, Dan Bernhardt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We consider a monopolist who can commit to a price path when selling a good for which individual consumers demand at most one unit. Only if the monopolist can also commit to destroying unpurchased stock and the timing of stock release, can she earn more than a static monopolist. This additional commitment power has empirical relevance for a wide range of goods that we term 'durable services.' The inability to store output facilitates price discrimination by a durable services monopolist by permitting the credible threat of rationing. We detail sufficient conditions for a durable services monopolist to produce more than a static or durable goods monopolist produces.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)975-990
Number of pages16
JournalCanadian Journal of Economics
Volume30
Issue number4 SUPPL. A
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Economics and Econometrics

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