9.7 : 독점 하의 가격 차별

Price discrimination is the practice of charging different prices for the same good to different consumers.

There are three degrees of price discrimination.

First-degree price discrimination is where monopolists charge each consumer the maximum price they are willing to pay.

Auction houses represent it, where buyers individually bid based on their maximum willingness to pay, allowing sellers to maximize profits.

In second-degree price discrimination, the monopolist charges different prices of the same product for different quantities, like bulk discounts on goods.

In the telecommunications industry, for instance, companies apply this strategy by offering different rates for various data plans based on usage.

Third-degree price discrimination involves segmenting the market based on age, location, income, or other demographic factors and charging different prices to each segment.

Examples include discounts for students at the movies or senior citizens in restaurants.

Price discrimination strategies enable businesses to maximize profits. At the same time, it can raise ethical concerns and face legal restrictions if it results in unfair or discriminatory practices.