Identifying Two-Sided Markets

26 Pages Posted: 21 Feb 2012

See all articles by Lapo Filistrucchi

Lapo Filistrucchi

Tilburg University, TILEC; University of Florence, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche

Damien Geradin

Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC); University of East Anglia (UEA) - Centre for Competition Policy; Geradin Partners

Eric van Damme

TILEC and CentER, Tilburg University

Date Written: February 21, 2012

Abstract

We review the burgeoning literature on two-sided markets focusing on the different definitions that have been proposed. In particular, we show that the well-known definition given by Evans is a particular case of the more general definition proposed by Rochet and Tirole. We then identify the crucial elements that make a market two-sided and, drawing from both theory and practice, derive suggestions for the identification of the two-sided nature of a market. Our suggestions are relevant not only for the analysis of traditional two-sided markets, such as newspapers and payment cards, but also for the analysis of many new markets, such as those for online social networks, online search engines and Internet news aggregators.

Keywords: two-sided markets, platforms, network effects

JEL Classification: L40, L50, K21

Suggested Citation

Filistrucchi, Lapo and Filistrucchi, Lapo and Geradin, Damien and van Damme, Eric E.C., Identifying Two-Sided Markets (February 21, 2012). TILEC Discussion Paper No. 2012-008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2008661 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2008661

Lapo Filistrucchi (Contact Author)

Tilburg University, TILEC ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, Noord-Brabant NL-5000 LE
Netherlands
+31 13 466 3360 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3042 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.lapofilistrucchi.com

University of Florence, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche ( email )

via delle Pandette 9
Florence, Florence IT-50127
Italy
+39 055 2759579 (Phone)
+39 055 2759910 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.lapofilistrucchi.com

Damien Geradin

Tilburg Law and Economics Center (TILEC) ( email )

Warandelaan 2
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

University of East Anglia (UEA) - Centre for Competition Policy ( email )

UEA
Norwich Research Park
Norwich, Norfolk NR47TJ
United Kingdom

Geradin Partners ( email )

Avenue Louise 475
Brussels
Belgium

Eric E.C. Van Damme

TILEC and CentER, Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands
+31 13 466 3045 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3066 (Fax)

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