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Journal of Economic Theory and Econometrics
Journal of the Korean Econometric Society
Platform Competition in Two-sided Markets and Welfare Implications
Vol.34, No.4, December 2023, 50–85
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Wonki Jo Cho
(Korea University)
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Abstract
We study the behavior of competing platforms in a two-sided market.
A user derives two types of utility from joining a platform: the intrinsic
membership benefit, which varies across users, and the network benefit, which
is determined by the number (measure) of users from the other side joining the
same platform. When multiple platforms compete in price to attract users, in
each symmetric equilibrium, each platform earns a zero profit. We also construct
the unique equilibrium in the case of platform monopoly. Our comparison
of welfare levels attained in oligopoly and monopoly shows that when there are
at least two platforms in the market, social welfare decreases as the number of
platforms increases; and that social welfare is maximized when two platforms or
a single platform operates, depending on the magnitudes of network externality
and marginal cost.
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Keywords
Two-sided market, platform competition, network externality, social welfare |
JEL classification codes
D4, D43, L1 |
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