Econometrica

Journal Of The Econometric Society

An International Society for the Advancement of Economic
Theory in its Relation to Statistics and Mathematics

Edited by: Marina Halac • Print ISSN: 0012-9682 • Online ISSN: 1468-0262

Econometrica: May, 2025, Volume 93, Issue 3

Personalized Pricing and the Value of Time: Evidence from Auctioned Cab Rides

https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA18838
p. 929-958

Nicholas Buchholz|Laura Doval|Jakub Kastl|Filip Matejka|Tobias Salz

We recover valuations of time using detailed data from a large ride‐hail platform, where drivers bid on trips and consumers choose between a set of rides with different prices and wait times. Leveraging a consumer panel, we estimate demand as a function of both prices and wait times and use the resulting estimates to recover heterogeneity in the value of time across consumers. We study the welfare implications of personalized pricing and its effect on the platform, drivers, and consumers. Taking into account drivers' optimal reaction to the platform's pricing policy, personalized pricing lowers consumer surplus by 2.5% and increases overall surplus by 5.2%. Like the platform, drivers benefit from personalized pricing. By conditioning prices on drivers' wait times and not on consumers' data, the platform can capture a significant portion of the profits garnered from personalized pricing, and simultaneously benefit consumers.


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Supplemental Material

Supplement to "Personalized Pricing and the Value of Time: Evidence from Auctioned Cab Rides"

Nicholas Buchholz, Laura Doval, Jakub Kastl, Filip Matejka, and Tobias Salz

This supplement contains material not found within the manuscript.

Supplement to "Personalized Pricing and the Value of Time: Evidence from Auctioned Cab Rides"

Nicholas Buchholz, Laura Doval, Jakub Kastl, Filip Matejka, and Tobias Salz

The replication package for this paper is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14616653. The authors were granted an exemption to publish parts of their data because either access to these data is restricted or the authors do not have the right to republish them. Therefore, the replication package only includes the codes and the parts of the data that are not subject to the exemption. However, the authors provided the Journal with (or assisted the Journal to obtain) temporary access to the restricted data. The Journal checked the provided and restricted data and the codes for their ability to reproduce the results in the paper and approved online appendices.
 

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