We study competitive positioning and pricing strategies in markets with negative consumption externalities. Negative consumption externality is modeled as a decrease in preference for a product as more consumers purchase the same product. Using a two stage Hotelling type model, we show that a...

The existence of reference price effects in consumer decision making is well documented in prior research, but few studies focus on its implications for firms' strategic behavior. Using a competitive model, we address this gap by examining how firms' product positioning and pricing strategies in...

This paper uses a game-theoretic model to examine the role of reference price for firms that vary in their quality positioning in competing for customers. Reference prices provide consumers with additional components of utility. Building on previous research on the impact of consumer decision...

In recent decades, organized retailing has transformed the retailing landscape in emerging economies, where unorganized retailing has traditionally been dominant. In this paper, we build a theoretical model of unorganized and organized retailing in emerging economies by carefully modeling key...

Much has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behavior notwithstanding. In this study, we explore the drivers of retail mobility in several metropolitan areas in the United States under the perceived risks of COVID-19. We measure risk using both local and national case and...

One-to-one marketing advocates tailoring of one or more aspects of the firm's marketing mix to the individual customer (Peppers and Rogers 1997; Peppers, Rogers and Dorf 1999; Shaffer and Zhang 2002). One-to-one marketing represents an extreme form of segmentation, with a target segment of size one....

We study competitive positioning and pricing strategies in markets where consumers seek variety. Variety seeking behavior is modeled as a decrease in the willingness to pay for the product purchased on the previous purchase occasion. Using a three-stage Hotelling-type model, we show that the...

Return policies are ubiquitous, and customer-friendly returns policies benefit retailers through greater customer demand. However, offering such policies also increases the cost of returns handling, impacting retailers' profitability negatively. Therefore, firms need to design optimal returns...

The pharmaceutical industry has always used sales representatives to target physicians (detailing), who are a key link in sales and market share for prescription pharmaceuticals. Since August of 1997, when the Food and Drug Administration eased the restrictions on direct-to-consumer advertising...

Physicians may learn about prescription drug effectiveness directly from the firm via detailing or from patient experience. Patient-mediated learning is aided by the use of free drug samples. The effective use of samples is hampered by a lack of understanding of its exact return on investment...