Search has assumed a position of central importance in the way that people access and use online information and services. In this introduction we summarize the four articles constituting this themed section, and in so doing explore the ascendancy of search, the power it bestows upon those who...

As the number of 3D models available on the Web grows, there is an increasing need for a search engine to help people. Unfortunately, traditional text-based search techniques are not always effective for 3D data. The key challenges are to develop query methods simple enough for novice users and...

In frictional matching markets with heterogeneous buyers and sellers, sellers incur discrete showing costs to show goods to buyers who incur discrete inspection costs to assess the suitability of the goods on offer. This paper studies how brokers can help reduce these costs by managing the level...

This paper studies a model of search engine competition with endogenous obfuscation. Platforms may differ in the quality of their search algorithms. I study the impact of this heterogeneity in consumer surplus, seller profits and platform revenue. I show that the dominant platform will typically...