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  • August 2018
  • Article
  • Antitrust Chronicle

An Introduction to the Competition Law and Economics of 'Free'

By: Benjamin Edelman and Damien Geradin
  • Format:Electronic
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Abstract

Many of the largest and most successful businesses today rely on providing services at no charge to at least a portion of their users. For consumers, it is easy to celebrate free service. At least in the short term, free services are often high quality, and users find a zero price virtually irresistible. But long-term assessments could differ, particularly if the free service reduces quality and consumer choice. In this short paper, we examine these concerns.

Keywords

Cost; Quality; Competition; Economics

Citation

Edelman, Benjamin, and Damien Geradin. "An Introduction to the Competition Law and Economics of 'Free'." Antitrust Chronicle (Summer 2018).
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  • From the Digital to the Physical: Federal Limitations on Regulating Online Marketplaces By: Benjamin Edelman and Abbey Stemler
  • The Market Design and Policy of Online Review Platforms By: Benjamin Edelman
  • David Dao on United Airlines By: Benjamin Edelman
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