In platform markets, consumers often choose which platform to use for making a bundle of transactions with sellers rather than for each transaction. Based on a competition-in-utility framework, I analyze the impact of such usage lock-in on platform competition. Usage lock-in allows platforms to...

Evaluating network effects and two-sidedness is critical for merger control in the digital economy.To examine the impact of network effects on the welfare properties of mergers, this study analyzes a model of multiproduct-firm oligopoly with firm-level direct and indirect network externalities...