Showing results for: “loyalty discounts”
Evans and Schmalensee Webinar on Two-Sided Markets
Here is a link to the latest Competition Policy International Webinar series on antitrust issues in two-sided markets by David Evans and Richard Schmalansee. Here is the course description: It is now widely recognized by antitrust and economic scholars that analyzing competitive practices such as mergers and abuse of dominance in two-sided industries requires special ... Evans and Schmalensee Webinar on Two-Sided Markets
DOJ AAG Designate Christine Varney on Section 2, Europe, Google & A Puzzling Statement About Error Costs
Predicting what antitrust enforcement regimes in the current economic environment is a tricky business. I’ve done my best here. One probably cannot think of a better source for such predictions than those from the soon-to-be AAG Christine Varney, who recently spoke at an American Antitrust Institute panel on Section 2 enforcement (you can hear the ... DOJ AAG Designate Christine Varney on Section 2, Europe, Google & A Puzzling Statement About Error Costs
What's the Empirical Evidence on RPM?
I’ve been reading the papers for the FTC RPM Workshops, though I cannot attend. On the procompetitive side, I especially recommend Ben Klein’s explanation of how RPM facilitates the supply of promotional services in the absence of dealer free-riding. Critics of RPM, in my view, generally do not understand the fundamental economic point that retailer ... What's the Empirical Evidence on RPM?
To Whom It May Concern: Please Stop Calling RPM Agreements Cartels (or Price-Fixing)
The headline of this Bloomberg story on the Swiss Competition Authority’s complaint against Bayer, Pfizer and Lilly announces that the firms operated an “Erection Drug Cartel.” I read a bit further to learn something about what I suspected, from the title of the story, would be a horizontal agreement between the firms — that is ... To Whom It May Concern: Please Stop Calling RPM Agreements Cartels (or Price-Fixing)
Top Ten Antitrust Articles of 2008
Its the time for end of the year lists. In conjunction with Danny Sokol’s survey of nominations for article of the year in 2008 (here are last year’s entries and here’s my list of the top 10 from last year), and without further ado, here are my personal, idiosyncratic, completely non-scientifically derived top 10 antitrust ... Top Ten Antitrust Articles of 2008
Kolasky on What Happens with the Section 2 Report
William Kolasky (Wilmer Hale, and one of the frontrunners for the DOJ AG spot according to the rumormill) has an interesting piece in the Antitrust Source on the DOJ Section 2 Report arguing that while: even the objecting Commissioners would probably agree that the Justice Department Report does a good job analyzing particular types of ... Kolasky on What Happens with the Section 2 Report
The D.C. Circuit Re-Disappoints in Whole Foods: An Analysis of the Amended Opinions
Being a “glass is half-full” type of guy, I figured there was no way the D.C. Circuit’s decision on Whole Foods’ petition for rehearing en banc could turn out poorly: Either the court would grant the motion and correct the panel’s mistakes, or the court would deny the motion, setting up an attractive opportunity for ... The D.C. Circuit Re-Disappoints in Whole Foods: An Analysis of the Amended Opinions
Price Discrimination Is Good, Part I
Price discrimination involves a firm taking advantage of different elasticities of demand for the same goods by charging different prices relative to marginal cost. Price discrimination is ubiquitous in our economy but remains a four letter word in policy and regulation circles. We observe price discrimination in all sorts of product markets, from small and ... Price Discrimination Is Good, Part I
Antitrust under President Obama: "I will direct my administration to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement"
Danny Sokol makes some predictions about Post-Obama antitrust, and about my disappointment in what he perceives to be the likely direction of antitrust policy in the Obama administration: 1. increased challenges of mergers and monopolization cases, especially at DOJ 2. more consumer protection work at the FTC with a push to more expansive consumer rights ... Antitrust under President Obama: "I will direct my administration to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement"
First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7
I think conferences like this are an effective way to attract talented economists to work on interesting antitrust problems. I can envision a similar event from the Bureau of Competition or policy shops featuring academic research from law and economics scholars. Here’s the conference announcement: The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics will host a ... First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7
Geradin on Loyalty Rebates
Damien Geradin has posted an interesting paper on “Separating Pro-competitive from Anti-competitive Loyalty Rebates: A Conceptual Framework.” Here’s the (long) abstract: In its submission to the recent OECD Roundtable on Bundled and Loyalty Discounts and Rebates (the “OECD Roundtable on rebates“), Korea observed that “loyalty discounts are getting growing attention both academically and practically” and ... Geradin on Loyalty Rebates
The unfortunate return of the "strange, red-haired, bearded, one-eyed, man with a limp"
The DC Circuit has reversed the district court in the Whole Foods case. The opinion is here. [HT: Danny Sokol] As regular readers know, we have covered this case extensively on this blog, including most recently this great, lengthy post from Thom on the proper standard of review. I wouldn’t be surprised if Thom is disappointed with the ... The unfortunate return of the "strange, red-haired, bearded, one-eyed, man with a limp"
