It has long been recognized that the pleasure of consuming a good may be affected by the consumption choice of other consumers. At least two types of motivations may explain such a behavior. In some cases social pressures may lead to conformity; while in some other cases individuals may feel the...

We develop methods for calculating profit-maximizing and socially optimal rates of partial refunds on customers' no-shows and cancellations. We demonstrate how partial refunds can be used to screen consumers according to their different probabilities of cancellation and no-shows. Finally, we...