Specifics of price discrimination in sale of information products through e-commerce
Importance As e-commerce has been actively developing since the early 21st century, it significantly influences conventional views of economic processes, including pricing methods and principles. Objectives The research identifies the specifics of price discrimination when selling information products through e-commerce, thus influencing the behavior of buyers and sellers. Methods We analyzed whether it would be possible to use conventional price discrimination strategies when selling information products through e-commerce. Results The article presents possibilities of using strategies of price discrimination, customization, self-selection and versioning when selling information products via electronic commerce channels. Conclusions and Relevance When selling information production via e-commerce channels, sellers get broader opportunities for differential pricing and extracting consumer surplus more completely. It becomes feasible because the ICT development allows studying preferences of buyers, predicting their behavior, personalize the offered goods. In the mean time, consumers also derive benefit from online-shopping as it reduces the asymmetry of information on prices and quality of goods, and helps better compare market supply options.