Social Welfare and Cost Recovery in Two-Sided Markets /

Using a simple model of two-sided markets, we show that, in the social optimum, platform pricing leads to an inherent cost recovery problem. This result is driven by the positive externality of participation that users on either side of the market exert on the opposite side. The contribution of this...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bolt, Wilko
Other Authors: Tieman, Alexander
Format: Journal
Language:English
Published: Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2005.
Series:IMF Working Papers; Working Paper ; No. 2005/194
Subjects:
WP
Online Access:Full text available on IMF
Description
Summary:Using a simple model of two-sided markets, we show that, in the social optimum, platform pricing leads to an inherent cost recovery problem. This result is driven by the positive externality of participation that users on either side of the market exert on the opposite side. The contribution of this positive externality to social welfare leads the social planner to increase users' participation by setting prices at both sides of the market such that the total price is below marginal cost. This causes operational losses for the platform. Our result holds for both interior pricing and skewed pricing in two-sided markets.
Item Description:<strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required
<strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required
Physical Description:1 online resource (14 pages)
Format:Mode of access: Internet
ISSN:1018-5941
Access:Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students