Using comprehensive high-frequency state and local sales tax data, we show that shopping behavior responds strongly to changes in sales tax rates. Even though sales taxes are not observed in posted prices and have a wide range of rates and exemptions, consumers adjust in many dimensions. They...

Scientific evidence on the effect of sugar consumption on obesity has propelled policy makers in several states across the U.S. to propose the imposition of a tax on soft drinks sales. In this paper, we look at the effect of two tax events: a 5.5% sales tax on soft drinks imposed by the state of...

This paper shows that accounting for variation in mistakes can be crucial for welfare analysis. Focusing on consumer underreaction to not-fully-salient sales taxes, we show theoretically that the efficiency costs of taxation are amplified by differences in underreaction across individuals and...

Policymakers frequently employ tax holidays to stimulate spending and transfer state revenues to favored groups. Perhaps the most common form of this policy in the United States are “Back to School” tax holidays where states waive the retail sales tax on selected school supplies in the fall....

We exploit the unexpected announcement of an immediate, temporary VAT cut in Germany in the second half of 2020 as a natural experiment to study the spending response to unconventional fiscal policy. We use survey and scanner data on households' consumption expenditures and their perceived...

This study is based on a unique direct selling method in the health food and cosmetics market. We build a supply chain consisted of one supplier and one retailer and utilize a game theory model to study it. The supplier owns superior power and can set the price and commission rate, whereas the...

A central assumption in public finance is that individuals optimize fully with respect to the incentives created by tax policies. In this paper, we test this assumption using two empirical strategies. First, we conducted an experiment at a grocery store where we posted tax-inclusive prices for...

In October of 2018, Sears, a U.S. retail giant, filed for bankruptcy. Walmart, the largest U.S. retail operation, recently introduced a new business model whereby on-line orders can be picked up or even delivered. Both events can be seen as part of a major shift away from the traditional...