Multi-product strategies and relative preferences for quality

Abstract

In this paper we investigate whether a monopoly in a vertically differentiated market may have the incentive to adopt a multi-product strategy if the consumers are concerned by the other consumers' choices. We use a variant of the Mussa and Rosen model where the utility of a consumer is positively or negatively affected by her relative standing i.e how high or low is the quality she chooses with respect to the other consumers'' choices. We prove that a multi-product strategy may be adopted by the monopoly if the consumers'' social distinction desire is strong enough.