Manufacturers increasingly are introducing online direct channels, creating conflicts with retailers that market the manufacturer's brand. Research on horizontal channel entry suggests incumbent retailers protect their sales from new competitors by increasing assortment and decreasing price....

Our paper adds empirical evidence on the causal effects of exporting on firms' performances. Using a rich database on Italian manufacturing firms, we test the self-selection and the post-entry effects hypotheses with respect to various firms' characteristics. Our analysis supports the idea that...