PRICE COMPARISON WEBSITES

David Ronayne

International Economic Review, 2021, vol. 62, issue 3, 1081-1110

Abstract: The large and growing industry of price comparison websites (PCWs) or “web aggregators” is poised to benefit consumers by increasing competitive pricing pressure on firms by acquainting shoppers with more prices. However, these sites also charge firms for sales, which feeds back to raise prices. I find that introducing any number of PCWs to a market increases prices for all consumers, both those who use the sites and those who do not. I then use my framework to identify ways in which a more competitive environment could be achieved.

Date: 2021
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https://doi.org/10.1111/iere.12504

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Working Paper: Price Comparison website (2018)
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