Question

Firm A and Firm B are the only two companies that sell mail-order DVD rental subscriptions. For several years, Firm A priced its subscriptions below average variable cost. Firm B tried to compete by also selling subscriptions below average variable cost, but went bankrupt and exited the market. Several months after Firm B exited the market, Firm A raised prices by 40 percent and is currently earning large, positive economic profits. Based only on this information, an argument can be made that:________
a. the mail-order DVD rental subscription market is a monopolistically competitive market.
b. Firm A engaged in predatory pricing.
c. Firm B must have made bad business decisions because it went bankrupt.
d. Firm B engaged in predatory pricing.
e. FirmA and Firm B must have had a collusive agreement

Answer 1

Answer:

b. Firm A engaged in predatory pricing.

Explanation:

Since Firm A and B are the only two companies that sell mail-order DVD rental subscriptions.

Firm A decided to price its subscriptions below average variable cost thereby causing Firm B to also sell subscriptions below average variable cost, but they went bankrupt and exited the market. Firm A then raised prices by 40% and is currently earning large, positive economic profits.

Based on this information only, an argument can be made that Firm A engaged in predatory pricing.

Predatory pricing is a marketing or pricing strategy that involves lowering the cost of goods and services for a short-term, in order to lure competing firms to lower their price, thus causing them to go bankrupt and exiting from the market.