Research

Abstract: Supercenters and warehouse clubs have surged in the US, offering many product categories at low prices. Complementing a literature on their competitive effects, we study how these big-box stores affect consumer welfare by impacting shopping behavior. Our event studies show consumers change product categories per trip, adjust spending across store formats, and pay lower prices after store entries. We develop a novel demand model to incorporate these choices across stores and categories, and separately quantify consumption gains and trip-cost savings. We find households benefit substantially from consuming in supercenters relative to competing retailers, highlighting the importance of the store format.

Abstract: Online freelance platforms have expanded access to flexible work, but persistent inequalities remain. This paper examines whether generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools can help reduce disparities faced by disadvantaged workers, using high-frequency panel data from a major digital labor platform. Among various worker characteristics, language proficiency shows the most significant shifts. Following the launch of ChatGPT, we find that the gap in earnings and job count between native and non-native English speakers narrowed. Non-native speakers gained access to more complex, higher-paying jobs, experienced lower job displacement, and connected more frequently with clients from high-income countries. While overall entry and activity gaps remained, we observe shifts in participation across job categories. Together, the findings suggest that GenAI can help reduce language-based barriers and expand opportunity in digital labor markets.

Abstract: This paper examines the effects of a nationwide tax exemption on menstrual hygiene products in India. Using high-frequency retail data and nationally representative surveys, we find that the exemption reduced prices, spurred product entry, and shifted demand toward lower-cost options. Existing consumers spent more overall while purchasing less frequently. Survey evidence shows broader gains in menstrual hygiene adoption and modest improvements in educational attainment, particularly among disadvantaged women. These findings illustrate how targeted fiscal policy can shape market behavior and potentially support improvements in well-being in a developing country context.

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of a vertical agreement between a downstream retailer and an upstream manufacturer in the context of the U.S. consumer battery industry, using detailed consumer receipt panel data. Following the agreement between Walmart (the retailer) and Energizer (the manufacturer), Walmart increases the retail prices of Duracell, Energizer's main competitor, while Energizer increases the wholesale prices charged to other retailers competing with Walmart. We document a shift in Walmart's sales from Duracell toward Energizer and retail price increases of about 6-7 percent for both brands across major retailers. To interpret these patterns, we estimate a model of consumer demand and retailer-manufacturer bargaining that treats Walmart and Energizer as an integrated party in the post-agreement period. Counterfactual analyses show that Duracell, though not part of the agreement, benefits from higher prices. Moreover, when similar agreements involve smaller retailers, they induce even larger wholesale and retail price increases elsewhere, resulting in greater consumer harm.