August Threads 2026
Threads from ICLE scholars on trending issues for the month of August 2026.
This is just simply wrong on the economics.
Suppose an online retailer offers a lower price to new customers. I'm assuming this is a net benefit, as the FTC is doing here.
Disclosing => repeat customers log out => system unravels => kill benefits of price discrimination. https://t.co/VGFNt6Ejd7 pic.twitter.com/eomSpURUmZ
— Brian Albrecht (@BrianCAlbrecht) August 20, 2026
This is just simply wrong on the economics.
Suppose an online retailer offers a lower price to new customers. I'm assuming this is a net benefit, as the FTC is doing here.
Disclosing => repeat customers log out => system unravels => kill benefits of price discrimination. https://t.co/VGFNt6Ejd7 pic.twitter.com/eomSpURUmZ
— Brian Albrecht (@BrianCAlbrecht) August 20, 2026
I think this is a fair summary of what it does. But it's trying to push one elasticity too far.
They stress markdowns and labor-supply elasticities aren't the same thing. But then repeatedly turn finite elasticity into "the amount of market power." https://t.co/4mwncTNGvw pic.twitter.com/bzA77Relsg
— Brian Albrecht (@BrianCAlbrecht) August 18, 2026