Competition and Product Quality in the Supermarket Industry

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Matsa, David A.
• 署名单位: Northwestern University
• 刊物名称: QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-5533
• DOI: 10.1093/qje/qjr031
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 1539-1591
• 关键词: wal-mart; price; uncertainty; diffusion; BEHAVIOR; demand

摘要

This article analyzes the effect of competition on a supermarket firm's incentive to provide product quality. In the supermarket industry, product availability is an important measure of quality. Using U.S. Consumer Price Index microdata to track inventory shortfalls, I find that stores facing more intense competition have fewer shortfalls. Competition from Walmart-the most significant shock to industry market structure in half a century-decreased shortfalls among large chains by about a third. The risk that customers will switch stores appears to provide competitors with a strong incentive to invest in product quality.