中文摘要
在线市场的快速技术发展从根本上改变了消费者与卖家之间的关系。在线平台可以轻松收集消费者搜索行为的数据,从而实施价格歧视。因此,产品搜索成为一种策略性选择。消费者面临权衡:要么密集搜索,以可能更高的价格获得更好的匹配;要么限制搜索行为、采取策略性忽视,接受较差的匹配但或许能获得更划算的交易。我们从理论和实验两个层面研究了由此形成的买卖双方策略性互动。我们的实验结果对在线平台兴起为消费者带来的附加价值以及现行监管的有效性提出了批判性审视。本文由 Elena Katok 接收,发表于"人-算法连接"专刊。基金资助:本研究得到 ZEW–莱布尼茨欧洲经济研究中心 (Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung) 与马克斯·普朗克学会 (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft) 的支持。补充材料:数据文件可从 https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03413 获取。
Abstract
Rapid technological developments in online markets fundamentally change the relationship between consumers and sellers. Online platforms can easily gather data about consumers’ search behavior, allowing for price discrimination. Therefore, product search becomes a strategic choice. Consumers face a tradeoff: Search intensely and receive a better fit at a potentially higher price or restrict search behavior, be strategically inattentive, and receive a worse fit but maybe a better deal. We study the resulting strategic buyer-seller interaction theoretically and experimentally. Our experimental results shed a critical light on the added value for consumers through the rise of online platforms and on the effectiveness of current regulations. This paper was accepted by Elena Katok, Special Issue on the Human-Algorithm Connection. Funding: This work was supported by the ZEW–Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung, and the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03413 .