The majority of theoretical vertical differentiation models in the literature derive equilibrium prices that exhibit what we call an “adverse price effect:” for a low quality firm, the equilibrium price may decrease when the product quality increases. This seemingly counterintuitive...

The Internet has changed the nature of doing business as well as the nature of competition in many industries. The number of online transactions has seen a steady increase as more consumers turn to online retailing (e-tailing) for a wide range of product choices and shopping convenience. Yet,...