Question

Explain the following statement and answer to corresponding question. It is worth 15 points. "In a competitive model without consideration of space (distance) we would expect competition to lead to identical prices but when we include spatial elements we expect competition to lead to different delivered prices." If individuals have to pay a different price for products because they live a different distance from the factory do you think this is an example of discrimination of prices? Why or why not?

Answer 1

In marketing, price discrimination refers to selling the same product to different buyers at different prices depending on each buyer's purchasing power or preferences which result in them being able and willing to pay different prices. E.g. a movie theater that charges different prices depending on the age of the movie goers.

In this case, the fact that a factory is located far away from your house might result in a higher price due to delivery costs, but that doesn't meant that it is using price discrimination. E.g. I just purchased a new refrigerator online and I had to pay a delivery fee that increased its price because the seller is from another state. I purchased the refrigerator from that retailer because it lower prices including delivery costs, but someone that purchased it from the same city will probably pay even less than me. But it is just logistics, since I live far away I have to wait 3 days for delivery and pay for it.