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The Review of Economics and Statistics Vol. 93 No. 3 2011

Convenient Prices and Price Rigidity: Cross-Sectional Evidence

Edward S. Knotek

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Abstract

This paper provides cross‐sectional evidence of convenient prices—prices that simplify and expedite transactions, reducing the time costs from physically making a transaction. Firms may wish to set convenient prices for items that are typically purchased with cash, are sold alone or with a few similar items, and are high‐traffic transactions, that is, that require queuing or are frequently purchased. I collect a new data set and find broad support for the use of convenient prices in locations where making a rapid transaction is important. Convenience also appears to predominantly affect goods and services with above‐average price rigidity.

DOI
10.1162/rest_a_00124
Volume
93
Issue
3
Pages
1076-1086
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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