David Weinstein
IBD Amphi
AMU - AMSE
5-9 boulevard Maurice Bourdet
13001 Marseille
Yann Bramoullé : yann.bramoulle[at]univ-amu.fr
Using Japanese data on intercity prices and expenditures by retail outlet type, we find that the entry of e-commerce firms reduced the rate of price increase for goods sold intensively online relative to other goods, and significantly reduced intercity price dispersion of goods sold intensively online but had no effect on other goods. We overcome endogeneity issues by using historical catalog sales as an instrument for e-commerce sales intensity and estimate that reductions in price dispersion raised welfare by 0.3 percent. E-Commerce also lowered variety adjusted prices on average by 0.9 percent, and more in cities with highly educated populations.