Dynamic Pricing in the Presence of Strategic Consumers: Theory and Experiment

We investigate the impact of strategic consumer behavior on retailers' dynamic pricing decisions. We present a stylized two-period model, and test the equilibrium predictions in a set of behavioral experiments in which human subjects played the role of pricing managers. Our main insight is that relative to equilibrium predictions, subjects underprice in the main selling season. Consequently, they sell more inventory and obtain higher revenue in that season. However, by doing so they significantly limit their ability to generate revenue in the markdown season, which, in the presence of strategic consumers is a major source of revenue.

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