Part III: Analysis of firm strategy Pricing SLIDESHOW 9 Flashcards
What is the form of cost plus pricing principle?
Price is determined by adding a percentage mark-up to average variable cost
Why is cost plus pricing may produce greater price stability?
Because it shouldn’t change every time there is a minor variation in demand
How is valued price stability?
By consumers : reduces their search costs.
By producers : reduces likelihood that destructive price competition may break out.
What are the 3 advantages of cost plus pricing?
1\ EZ to understand, need less information to be implemented
2\ Greater price stability
3\ Sense of fairness
What does the firm need to do in order to put in place a cost plus pricing?
Average Variable Cost, thus estimate demand function
When is cost plus pricing equivalent to profit-maximizing pricing?
If AVC is approximately constant, and the mark-up is set to a value of 1/(PED-1)
What if the firm’s demand is price inelastic?
The larger the mark-up is required for profit-maximization
What happens in difficult economic periods?
PED is high an the mark-up is small. Same when competition is intense
What happens in great economic periods?
Mark-up is larger. Same when competition is weak
What are the various objectives that might be considered when formulating prices?
1\ Target profitability 2\ Target sales revenue 3\ Target market share, price stability 4\ Stability of sales volume 5\ Comparability of own prices with those of competitors 6\ Prices perceived as fair by customers
When does price discrimination happen?
When there are variations in the prices charged for a product that is supplied under an identical cost structure no matter the buyers or # units produced and sold
Due to difference in costs, prices might be different, is it price discrimination?
No. Contrary yes !
What are the 3 types of price discrimination?
1\ 1st degree = perfect price discrimination. Indentity of purchase and # of units purchased matters.
2\ 2nd. Depends on # units purchased.
3\ 3rd. Depends on identity of purchaser.
What is dumping?
Charging a lower price to consumers in poorer countries than those in richer ones.
What are the 2 conditions for a policy of price discrimination to be possible?
1\ Price discriminating firm must enjoy some degree of market power
2\ Market for the product must be divisible into sub-markets with different demand conditions (or different price elasticities also)