Predatory pricing
A pricing strategy known as predatory pricing is based on discounting rivals for a long enough period of time to drive them out of the market. Other providers are forced to leave the market because they are unable to compete when prices are set below costs. When a corporation uses predatory pricing, it has to incur a loss during the predatory period. However, when the competition wanes, it can later increase prices. A business that has the resources to maintain predatory pricing may find itself with a long-term monopoly on the market.What elements are there in predatory pricing?Predatory pricing is not a long-term pricing strategy because it depends on setting product prices low enough to drive away rivals from the market. Rather, a business that uses predatory pricing will divide the tactic into two stages: one where it destroys rivals and another where it exploits the weaker competitors.• Predation - A business may reduce prices below the point at which it remains financially stable as long as it can absorb the first losses. The competitors will then have to decide whether to give up on the market or accept their own losses. By using this tactic, big businesses may frequently drive out their smaller rivals entirely and stop any new ones from entering the market. • Recoupment - The predation phase finishes and prices are raised back to normal levels when the competition has sufficiently dwindled. Reducing competition to the point where profits from this phase offset losses from the predation phase is the aim. But now that the dynamics of the market have returned, both established rivals and recent arrivals pose a threat.Predatory pricing in retail and e-commercePredatory pricing is a practice in e-commerce and retail enterprises when an online retailer reduces its prices to the point where it cannot make a profit, only to raise it after driving its competitors out of the market. This may lead to a lack of competition, which may result in increased consumer costs and fewer options available.Retail and e-commerce companies should be aware of predatory pricing tactics and steer clear of them at all costs because they might have negative outcomes. Companies may face penalties and legal action, while customers may suffer from higher costs and fewer options.Businesses should concentrate on long-term sustainable pricing techniques including price differentiation, dynamic pricing, and value-based pricing to steer clear of these pricing practices. These techniques seek to give customers competitive rates while preserving profit margins for the companies.