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e-Commerce Platforms and Self-preferencing

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  • Federico Etro

Abstract

I survey the literature on eCommerce platforms with particular emphasis on the antitrust debate on self-preferencing by Amazon. The business model of hybrid marketplaces is based on monetization through commissions on third party sellers hosted on the platform and direct margins on own products. Recent theoretical and empirical work on endogenous marketplace structures has analyzed the welfare impact of the dual mode and of recommendation algorithms that have been associated with self-preferencing strategies. The trade offs are complex and one cannot easily conclude that Amazon entry is biased to expropriate third party sellers or that a ban on dual mode, self-preferencing or copycatting would benefit consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Federico Etro, 2023. "e-Commerce Platforms and Self-preferencing," Working Papers - Economics wp2023_07.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    • Handle: RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2023_07.rdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Reimer, Julia, 2024. "Hybrid Platforms and Innovation Incentives," VfS Annual Conference 2024 (Berlin): Upcoming Labor Market Challenges 302444, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    eCommerce; Endogenous marketplace structures; Business models; Self-preferencing.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • L4 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies

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