We use U.S. eBay data to investigate how trade is influenced by differences in socioeconomic characteristics, tastes, and trust. States' similarity in cultural characteristics (ethnicity, religious affiliations, and political behavior) is predictive of online trade; cultural similarity similarly...

We conduct a field experiment at a nonprofit organization's online store to study how demand changes when consumers' purchases generate revenue for a charitable cause. Consumers respond strongly when their purchases generate small donations by an anonymous outside group, but responses are...

To study whether consumers will pay more for products that generate charitable donations, we analyze data from eBay on charity and non-charity auctions of otherwise identical products. Charity prices are 6% greater, on average, than non-charity prices. Bids below the closing price are also...

We study how market structure influenced the diffusion of new treatment technology (ICSI) among U.S. fertility clinics that performed in vitro fertilization (IVF). We find that competitive (i.e., non-monopoly) markets were more likely to have a clinic that offered ICSI than monopoly markets. Our...

For the 10%-15% of American married couples who experience reproductive problems, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the leading technologically advanced treatment procedure. Two important issues are at the center of policy debates regarding IVF markets: 1) expanding access to infertility...

Quality certification programs are used to improve consumers’ ability to identify high-quality products or sellers in markets with information asymmetries. Using data from eBay UK’s online marketplace, we study how certification’s benefits vary with market- and seller-level attributes,...