Some Evidence on the Alchian and Allen Theorem: The Third Law of Demand?

This paper examines empirically the Alchian and Allen proposition that shipping charges induce consumers to opt for higher quality goods. We show in a household productions framework why this holds whether goods or buyers travel. Using a large sample of individual consumption data for football games, we find that buyers who travel the farthest, purchase the best tickets. In the end, we believe that the Alchian and Allen theorem is so broad and pervasive that it qualifies as the third law of demand.