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Attention-driven demand for bonus contracts

Author

Listed:
  • Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt
  • Mats Köster
  • Florian Peiseler
Abstract
In many markets supply contracts include a series of small, regular payments made by consumers and a single, large bonus that consumers receive at some point during the contractual period. But, if for instance its production costs exceed its value to consumers, such a bonus creates inefficiencies. We offer a novel explanation for the frequent occurrence of bonus contracts, which builds on a model of attentional focusing. Our main result identifies market conditions under which bonus contracts should be observed: while a monopolist pays a bonus to consumers - if at all - only for low-value goods, firms standing in competition always - i.e., independent of the consumers’ valuation - offer bonus contracts. Thus, competition does not eliminate but rather exacerbates inefficiencies arising from contracting with focused agents. Common contract schemes in markets for electricity, telephony, and bank accounts are consistent with our model, but cannot be reconciled with alternative approaches such as models on consumption smoothing, (quasi-)hyperbolic discounting, or switching costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt & Mats Köster & Florian Peiseler, 2019. "Attention-driven demand for bonus contracts," CESifo Working Paper Series 7539, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7539
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Johannes Johnen, 2019. "Automatic‐renewal contracts with heterogeneous consumer inertia," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 765-786, November.
    2. Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt & Holger Gerhardt & Gerhard Riener & Frederik Schwerter & Louis Strang, 2022. "Concentration Bias in Intertemporal Choice," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(3), pages 1314-1334.
    3. Canidio, Andrea & Karle, Heiko, 2022. "The focusing effect in negotiations," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 1-20.
    4. Dertwinkel-Kalt, Markus & Wey, Christian, 2023. "Why Germany's Gas Price Brake Encourages Moral Hazard and Raises Gas Prices," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277575, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt & Christian Wey, 2022. "Why “Energy Price Brakes” Encourage Moral Hazard, Raise Energy Prices, and Reinforce Energy Savings," CESifo Working Paper Series 10163, CESifo.
    6. Hector Sandoval & Pedro Hancevic & Hernán Bejarano, 2024. "The Hidden Costs of Tariff Misclassification: Structural Winners and Losers," Working Papers DTE 637, CIDE, División de Economía.
    7. Markus Dertwinkel‐Kalt & Mats Köster, 2022. "Attention to online sales: The role of brand image concerns," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 64-89, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    attention; focusing; bonus contracts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • D18 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Protection
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General

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