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If Many Seek, Ye Shall Find: Search Externalities and New Goods

Author

Listed:
  • Maciej H. Kotowski
  • Richard J. Zeckhauser
Abstract
Consumer search serves productive roles in an economy with multiple goods. In equilibrium, search promotes the sorting of consumers among producers, thereby enabling the market for new goods, and potentially increasing welfare and profits above the benchmark case (an economy with a single good, hence, no search). When competitors are few, additional direct competitors may benefit a firm, as more sellers may encourage more consumers to search. In return, consumer search entices producers of new goods to enter. Neither of these externalities, nor the coordination problems faced by consumers and producers, is appropriately recognized in the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Maciej H. Kotowski & Richard J. Zeckhauser, 2017. "If Many Seek, Ye Shall Find: Search Externalities and New Goods," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 42-73, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:9:y:2017:i:4:p:42-73
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mic.20140182
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Guangyu Cao & Ginger Zhe Jin & Xi Weng & Li‐An Zhou, 2021. "Market‐expanding or Market‐stealing? Competition with network effects in bike‐sharing," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 52(4), pages 778-814, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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