On the degree of distortions under second-degree price discrimination

DOI link to open access article: On the degree of distortions under second-degree price discrimination

Ram Orzach, Miron Stano

Journal of Mechanism and Institution Design
Volume 6, issue 1, pages 101-112 (December 2021)
doi: 10.22574/jmid.2021.12.004

Abstract:

This paper highlights the limitations and applicability of results developed by Chao & Nahata (2015) for nonlinear pricing. Although Chao and Nahata appear to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for general utility functions, we show that one of their results leads only to a restatement of two constraints, and another result may not be valid when consumers can freely dispose of the good. Their model allows for the possibility that higher quantities will have a lower price than smaller quantities. We provide conditions under free disposal that preclude this anomaly. Our analysis suggests that further research on violations of the single-crossing condition should be encouraged.

Keywords: Second-degree price discrimination, nonlinear pricing, single-crossing condition.

JEL Classification Numbers: D42, D61, D82, L12.