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Maximizing Profit: Two-Part Tariffs & Incentive Compatibility, Exercises of Microeconomics

The profit maximization problem of a monopolist using two-part tariffs, where customers are differentiated based on their types. The document derives the conditions for participation and incentive compatibility, and solves the problem using Lagrangian multipliers. The analysis is based on a demand function and considers the impact of output distortion on high and low-demand customers.

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1
EconS 503 Advanced Microeconomics II1
Adverse Selection
Handout on Two-part tariffs (Second-degree price discrimination)
1. Introduction
Consider a setting where an uninformed firm is attempting to sell an item to a privately informed
customer. The firm’s profit function is 𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐, where 𝑐𝑐> 0 represents the firm’s marginal costs, and F is
the fee paid from the customer to the firm in exchange for q units of the good (price for the package of
units, rather than a unit price). The customer’s utility function is 𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐,𝑇𝑇,𝜃𝜃)=𝜃𝜃𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐)𝐹𝐹, where 𝑢𝑢′> 0
and 𝑢𝑢′′< 0. Parameter 𝜃𝜃 is privately observed by the consumer, and takes on either 𝜃𝜃𝐿𝐿 with probability 𝛽𝛽
or 𝜃𝜃𝐻𝐻 with probability 1𝛽𝛽, where 𝜃𝜃𝐻𝐻>𝜃𝜃𝐿𝐿.
2. Complete Information
[2nd Stage] For a given pair of fee 𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖 and quantity 𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖, (𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖,𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖), consumers with valuation 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖 purchase the
good if and only if 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖0
[1st Stage] Observing 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖 (as we are in the complete-information version) and anticipating the buyers
decision rule in the second stage, 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖0, the firm solves the PMP
max
𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖,𝑞𝑞𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖
subject to 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖0 𝑃𝑃.𝐶𝐶.
The participation constraint (P.C.) must bind. Otherwise 𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖 can be further increased, thus increasing
profits. Hence, 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)=𝑇𝑇𝑖𝑖, which simplifies the above problem to the following unconstrained
maximization problem
max
𝑞𝑞𝑖𝑖 𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖
Taking F.O.C with respect to 𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖,
𝜃𝜃𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖)𝑐𝑐0 (= 0 in interior solutions)
Hence, under complete information, 𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑖 is increased until the point in which the consumer’s marginal
utility of additional units coincides with the firm’s marginal cost. As we next show, when the firm is
uninformed about the customer’s type, this result doesn’t necesarily arise.
1 Felix Munoz-Garcia, Associate Professor, School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman,
WA 99164-6210, fmunoz@wsu.edu.
MV = MC
pf3
pf4
pf5
pf8
pf9
pfa
pfd

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Download Maximizing Profit: Two-Part Tariffs & Incentive Compatibility and more Exercises Microeconomics in PDF only on Docsity!

EconS 503 – Advanced Microeconomics II

1

Adverse Selection

Handout on Two-part tariffs (Second-degree price discrimination)

1. Introduction

Consider a setting where an uninformed firm is attempting to sell an item to a privately informed

customer. The firm’s profit function is 𝐹𝐹 − 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐, where 𝑐𝑐 > 0 represents the firm’s marginal costs, and F is

the fee paid from the customer to the firm in exchange for q units of the good (price for the package of

units, rather than a unit price). The customer’s utility function is 𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐, 𝑇𝑇, 𝜃𝜃) = 𝜃𝜃 ∙ 𝑣𝑣(𝑐𝑐) − 𝐹𝐹, where 𝑢𝑢′ > 0

and 𝑢𝑢′′ < 0. Parameter 𝜃𝜃 is privately observed by the consumer, and takes on either 𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

with probability 𝛽𝛽

or 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

with probability 1 − 𝛽𝛽, where 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

2. Complete Information

[

nd

Stage] For a given pair of fee 𝑇𝑇

𝑖𝑖

and quantity 𝑐𝑐

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

), consumers with valuation 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

purchase the

good if and only if 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

[

st

Stage] Observing 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

(as we are in the complete-information version) and anticipating the buyers

decision rule in the second stage, 𝜃𝜃 𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

≥ 0 , the firm solves the PMP

max

𝑇𝑇

𝑖𝑖

,𝑞𝑞

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

subject to 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

The participation constraint (P.C.) must bind. Otherwise 𝑇𝑇 𝑖𝑖

can be further increased, thus increasing

profits. Hence, 𝜃𝜃 𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

, which simplifies the above problem to the following unconstrained

maximization problem

max

𝑞𝑞

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

Taking F.O.C with respect to 𝑐𝑐 𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

) − 𝑐𝑐 ≤ 0 (= 0 in interior solutions)

Hence, under complete information, 𝑐𝑐 𝑖𝑖

is increased until the point in which the consumer’s marginal

utility of additional units coincides with the firm’s marginal cost. As we next show, when the firm is

uninformed about the customer’s type, this result doesn’t necesarily arise.

1

Felix Munoz-Garcia, Associate Professor, School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman,

WA 99164-6210, fmunoz@wsu.edu.

MV = MC

3. Incomplete Information

The firm cannot observe the realization of 𝜃𝜃. The firm could offer contracts of the form (𝑇𝑇(𝑐𝑐), 𝑐𝑐), with

function 𝑇𝑇(𝑐𝑐) being as general as you can imagine.

For simplicity, let’s consider three types of contracts:

  • Linear pricing: 𝑇𝑇(𝑐𝑐) = 𝑝𝑝 ∙ 𝑐𝑐 customers pay 𝑝𝑝 for every unit they buy.
  • Nonlinear pricing (single two-part tariff for all types of customers)
  • Nonlinear pricing (two two-part tariffs one for each type of customer)

3.1. Linear pricing, 𝑻𝑻(𝒒𝒒) = 𝒑𝒑 ∙ 𝒒𝒒

[

nd

Stage] Every customer with type 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

pays a price p per unit of q purchased, thus obtaining a utility

𝑖𝑖

− 𝑝𝑝𝑐𝑐 for all 𝑖𝑖 = {𝐻𝐻, 𝐿𝐿}

In order to maximize his utility (for every given p ), he increases q until

𝑖𝑖

1

Solving for q , we find 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

−Walrasian demand

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

Hence, 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

−customer’s utility is

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

[

st

Stage] By backward induction, the monopolist anticipates the demand function 𝐷𝐷

𝑖𝑖

for 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

−type

buyer. Hence, the firm maximizes expected profits:

max

𝑝𝑝

(𝑝𝑝 − 𝑐𝑐) ∙ [𝛽𝛽 ∙ 𝐷𝐷

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

(𝑝𝑝)]

Let 𝐷𝐷(𝑝𝑝) ≡ 𝛽𝛽 ∙ 𝐷𝐷 𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

(𝑝𝑝) denote the expected demand, which helps us simplify the above

program to

max

𝑝𝑝

Taking FOC with respect to p yields

Solving for p , we obtain a linear price of

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

Mathematically,

max

(𝐹𝐹,𝑝𝑝)

𝛽𝛽[𝐹𝐹 + (𝑝𝑝 − 𝑐𝑐) ⋅ 𝐷𝐷

𝐿𝐿

(𝑝𝑝)] + (1 − 𝛽𝛽)[𝐹𝐹 + (𝑝𝑝 − 𝑐𝑐) ⋅ 𝐷𝐷

𝐻𝐻

(𝑝𝑝)]
)[

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐷𝐷(𝑝𝑝), i.e., expected demand

]

subject to 𝐹𝐹 ≤ 𝑆𝑆

𝑖𝑖

(𝑝𝑝) for all 𝑖𝑖 = {𝐻𝐻, 𝐿𝐿}

However, the seller can increase 𝐹𝐹 until 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑆𝑆 𝐿𝐿

(𝑝𝑝). Raising it any further would lead the low-type

customers to reject the purchase. Plugging 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑆𝑆 𝐿𝐿

(𝑝𝑝) into the above problem helps us obtain an

unconstrained PMP (with only one choice variable, 𝑝𝑝), as follows

max

𝑝𝑝

𝐿𝐿

Taking first-order conditions with respect to 𝑝𝑝 yields

𝐿𝐿

Solving for 𝑝𝑝 and rearranging, we obtain a price of the single two part tariff, 𝑝𝑝

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

, of

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝑝𝑝

𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

, price under

linear pricing

𝐿𝐿

Where the last term is positive since 𝑆𝑆

𝐿𝐿

(𝑝𝑝) < 0 and 𝐷𝐷

Remark : 𝑆𝑆

𝑖𝑖

(𝑝𝑝) can be found by applying the Envelope Theorem on

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

[

𝑖𝑖

)]

𝑖𝑖

In particular, second-order effects are absent, so that 𝐷𝐷

𝑖𝑖

(𝑝𝑝) is unaffected by a price change. As a

consequence

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

Hence, prices in each setting are ranked as follows:

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

𝑐𝑐 (price under perfect competition)

The firm then sets a single two-part tariff

𝐿𝐿

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

Practice : Considering a demand function 𝐷𝐷 𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

− 𝑝𝑝, where 𝜃𝜃

𝑖𝑖

= {1,2} and 𝛽𝛽 =

1

2

, find the profit-

maximizing two-part tariff.

In addition, 𝑐𝑐 𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝐿𝐿

𝑆𝑆𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝐿𝐿

. We can depict this two-part tariff in the (𝐹𝐹, 𝑝𝑝)-

quadrant, as follows.

p

STPT

F =S L

(p

STPT

)

S

L

(p

STPT

) +p

STPT

q

L

q

H

q

F

Graphical representation of the indifference curves using the same (𝐹𝐹, 𝑝𝑝)-quadrant:

q

F

θ i

-type

indifference curve

Same utility from:

-LowF and lowq

-HighF and highq

q

F

IC

i

IC

i

Increasing utility

For compactness, the literature refers to the former conditions as “participation constraints,” as they

guarantee the participation of all types of customers; whereas the latter conditions are referred to as

“incentive compatibility” conditions. In particular, the participation constraints in this context are

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

while the incentive compatibility conditions are

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

We can rearrange the above four inequalities and insert them as constraints into the monopolist’s profit

maximization problem, as follows:

max

𝐹𝐹 𝐿𝐿

,𝑞𝑞 𝐿𝐿

,𝐹𝐹 𝐻𝐻

,𝑞𝑞 𝐻𝐻

[

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

] + (
− 𝑝𝑝)[𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

]

subject to

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

Since both 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶 𝐻𝐻

and 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

are now expressed in terms of the fee 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

, we can easily see that the monopolist

increases 𝐹𝐹 𝐻𝐻

until such fee coincides with the lowest of 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

and 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

[

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] +

𝐿𝐿

, as

depicted in figure 1, for all 𝑖𝑖 = {𝐿𝐿, 𝐻𝐻}. Otherwise, one (or both) constraints will be violated, leading the

high-demand customer to not participate (and/or select the two-part tariff meant for the low-demand

customer). We examine this result more closely in the next discussion.

PC

i

is

binding

IC

i

is

binding

Maximal F

i

that achives participation and self-selection

F

i

F

i

i

u ( q

i

i

u ( q

i

i

[ u ( q

i

) - u ( q

j

)] + F

j

i

[ u ( q

i

) - u ( q

j

)] + F

j

Maximal F

i

that achives participation and self-selection

Figure 1 PC condition binds (upper panel) and IC condition binds (lower panel)

High-demand customer. Let us first focus on the high-demand consumer and show that 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

is binding,

(the lower panel of figure 1 arises for this type of customer).

Proof. An indirect way to show that 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶 𝐻𝐻

binds, i.e., 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

, is to demonstrate that

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

) (i.e., as depicted be in the lower panel of Figure 1). By contradiction, consider that

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

). If this condition holds, then 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

can be rewritten as

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

, which simplifies to 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

In addition, we can combine this result with the property that 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

to obtain

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

That is, 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

). This finding, however, violates the participation constraint of the low-demand

customer, 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶

𝐿𝐿

, indicating that we have reached a contradiction and, therefore, 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

) (i.e., 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

is not binding). Thus, 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

is binding but 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

is not, confirming that for the high-demand customer the

lower panel of Figure 1 applies (i.e., 𝐹𝐹 𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

). Q.E.D.

Low-demand customer. Let us now use a similar approach to show that the top panel of Figure 1 arises for

the low-demand customer (i.e., 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶

𝐿𝐿

binds since 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

Proof. Similarly as for high-demand customers, we can prove this result by instead showing that 𝐹𝐹 𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

holds. Proving this result by contradiction, assume that 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

. Plugging this expression into 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

(which binds, as shown in our discussion of the high-

demand customer), we obtain

𝐻𝐻

[

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] +

𝐿𝐿

[

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] +

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

This expression simplifies to

𝐻𝐻

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] = 𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

[𝑢𝑢(𝑐𝑐

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)]

and ultimately reduces to 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

, violating the initial assumption 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

. Therefore, 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

[

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

cannot hold, but instead 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

[

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

must be true. As a

consequence, the top panel of Figure 1 applies for the low-demand customer, ultimately implying that

𝐿𝐿

binds while 𝐼𝐼𝐶𝐶

𝐿𝐿

does not. Q.E.D.

Summarizing, from the high-demand customer we have that 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

[

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)] + 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

whereas

from the low-demand customer we obtained that 𝜃𝜃 𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

. We can now plug this information about

𝐻𝐻

and 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

into the monopolist’s expected PMP, which now becomes an unconstrained maximization

problem, as follows:

max

𝑞𝑞

𝐿𝐿

,𝑞𝑞

𝐻𝐻

𝑝𝑝[𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

] + (1 − 𝑝𝑝)[𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

]

Figure 2 Output for the low-demand customer

Summarizing, the amount offered to high-demand customers is socially efficient (recall that 𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝑐𝑐). In other words, 𝑐𝑐

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

, and there is no output distortion for high-demand customers relative to

complete information allocations. That is a common finding in principal-agent models where the principal

(in this case the monopolist) cannot observe the private type of the agent (in this case the consumer). In

contrast, the output offered to low-demand customers entails a distortion relative to complete information,

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

, as depicted in Figure 2. Furthermore, this output distortion 𝑐𝑐

𝐿𝐿

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

𝐿𝐿

is increasing in term

𝑝𝑝

1−𝑝𝑝

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

). Specifically, it increases in the frequency of high-type buyers, 𝑝𝑝, and on the difference

between high- and low-type buyers, (𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

In addition, the fact that constraint 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶 𝐿𝐿

binds while 𝑃𝑃𝐶𝐶

𝐻𝐻

does not, entails that only the high-demand

customer retains a positive utility level, i.e., 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

  1. In other words, the firm’s lack of

information provides the high-demand customer with an “information rent.” Intuitively, this information

rent emerges from the seller’s attempt to reduce the incentives of the high-type customer to select the

contract meant for the low type. In particular, while the low-demand buyer pays a lower fee, the output

that he receives is sufficiently low to make it unattractive for the high-demand buyer, 𝑐𝑐 𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

. In other

words, the output distortion 𝑐𝑐 𝐿𝐿

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

𝐿𝐿

that we described above stems from the seller’s purpose to reduce

the information rent of the high-type buyer.

Example. Consider a monopolist selling a textbook to two types of graduate students, low- and high-

demand, with utility function

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

2

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

c

q

L

q

L

SO

u' ( q

L

) [ θ

L

p

1 − p

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

)]

u' ( q

L

L

q

where 𝑖𝑖 = {𝐿𝐿, 𝐻𝐻} and 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

. In this context, we obtain the direct demand function 𝑐𝑐

𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

− 𝑝𝑝. In

addition, assume that the proportion of high-demand (low-demand) students is 𝛾𝛾 ( 1 − 𝛾𝛾, respectively).

The monopolist’s constant marginal cost is 𝑐𝑐 > 0, which satisfies 𝜃𝜃 𝑖𝑖

𝑐𝑐 for all 𝑖𝑖 = {𝐿𝐿, 𝐻𝐻}. Consider for

simplicity that 𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

+𝑐𝑐

2

, which implies that each type of student would buy the textbook, both when the

firm practices uniform pricing and when it sets two-part tariffs (as we next show).

Uniform pricing. Consider first that the monopolist does not practice price discrimination (i.e., it sets a

uniform price that induces both types of customers to purchase positive units). In this setting, the

monopolist sets a unique price p that solves the expected PMP

max

𝑝𝑝

𝛾𝛾[(𝑝𝑝 − 𝑐𝑐)(𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

− 𝑝𝑝)] + (1 − 𝛾𝛾)[(𝑝𝑝 − 𝑐𝑐)(𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

− 𝑝𝑝)],

where 𝑐𝑐 𝑖𝑖

𝑖𝑖

− 𝑝𝑝 for every type- i customer. Taking first-order conditions with respect to 𝑝𝑝 yields

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

And solving for p we obtain the uniform price

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

which yields monopoly profits of

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈

[𝛾𝛾𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

− 𝑐𝑐]

2

Note that the monopolist could use a uniform price to only serve high-demand students. The price that

would maximize its profits in this case solves

max

𝑝𝑝

𝐻𝐻

thus ignoring the segment of low-demand students. Taking first-order conditions with respect to 𝑝𝑝 and

solving for 𝑝𝑝 yields 𝑝𝑝 𝐻𝐻

𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

+𝑐𝑐

2

. In this context, monopoly profits become

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈−𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

2

which are larger than those when serving both types of students (i.e., 𝜋𝜋

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈−𝐻𝐻

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈

) if the

proportion of low-demand customers, 𝛾𝛾, is sufficiently small, that is,

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

2

Intuitively, the frequency of high-value customers is large, thus inducing the seller ignore low-value

customers to focus on high-value customers alone. For instance, parameter values 𝜃𝜃 𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

and 𝛾𝛾 =

3

4

satisfy this condition since

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

𝐻𝐻

𝐿𝐿

2

2

𝐿𝐿

16

7

, and fees of 𝐹𝐹

𝐻𝐻

444

49

≅ 9.06 and 𝐹𝐹

𝐿𝐿

96

49

≅ 1.95. As a consequence, expected profits from two-

part tariffs are

𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

[

𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

] + (
)[

𝐿𝐿

𝐿𝐿

] =

In contrast, those under uniform pricing become

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈

[𝛾𝛾𝜃𝜃

𝐿𝐿

+(1−𝛾𝛾)𝜃𝜃

𝐻𝐻

−𝑐𝑐]

2

4

49

64

≅ 0.76, and

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈−𝐻𝐻

𝐻𝐻

2

Hence, practicing two-part tariffs is profit-enhancing for the monopolist since

𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐿𝑇𝑇

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈−𝐻𝐻

𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑖𝑖𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈