Shrinking Goods

51 Pages Posted: 12 Apr 2013

See all articles by Daniel Levy

Daniel Levy

Bar-Ilan University - Department of Economics; Emory University - Department of Economics; International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University; Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis; International Centre for Economic Analysis

Avichai Snir

Bar Ilan University - Department of Economics

Date Written: January 22, 2013

Abstract

If producers have more information than consumers about goods’ attributes, then they may use non-price (rather than price) adjustment mechanisms and, consequently, the market may reach a new equilibrium even if prices don't change. We study a situation where producers adjust the quantity per package rather than the price in response to changes in market conditions. Although consumers should be indifferent between equivalent changes in goods' prices and quantities, empirical evidence suggests that consumers often respond differently to price changes and equivalent quantity changes. We offer a possible explanation for this puzzle by constructing and empirically testing a model in which consumers incur cognitive costs when processing goods’ price and quantity information.

Keywords: Quantity Adjustment, Cognitive Costs of Attention, Information Processing

JEL Classification: L11, L15, L16, M21, M31, M37, M38, K20, E31, D21, D22, D40, D83

Suggested Citation

Levy, Daniel and Snir, Avichai, Shrinking Goods (January 22, 2013). Emory Law and Economics Research Paper, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2249768 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2249768

Daniel Levy (Contact Author)

Bar-Ilan University - Department of Economics ( email )

Ramat-Gan, 5290002
Israel
+972 3 531-8345 (Phone)
+972 3 738-4034 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://econ.biu.ac.il/en/levy

Emory University - Department of Economics ( email )

1602 Fishburne Drive, Suite 306
Rich Building
Atlanta, GA 30322-0001
United States

HOME PAGE: http://economics.emory.edu/home/people/faculty/biography/levy-daniel.html

International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University ( email )

16 Zandukeli Street
Tbilisi, 0108
Georgia

Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis ( email )

Rimini
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.rcea.world/

International Centre for Economic Analysis ( email )

Wilfrid Laurier University
75 University Ave W.
Waterloo, Ontario N2L3C5
Canada

HOME PAGE: http://https://iceanet.org/

Avichai Snir

Bar Ilan University - Department of Economics ( email )

Ramat-Gan, 52900
Israel
+972 3 736 0835 (Phone)
+972 3 535 3180 (Fax)

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