You Can Lead a Horse to Water: Spatial Learning and Path Dependence in Consumer Search
构建并估计了一个包含空间学习的消费者搜索模型，发现消费者会从已搜索产品推断邻近未搜索产品的属性，导致搜索路径依赖。消除空间学习会使消费者福利下降12%，且产品推荐需考虑学习效应与平台竞争。
We develop and estimate a model of consumer search with spatial learning. Consumers make inferences from previously searched objects to unsearched objects that are nearby in attribute space, generating path dependence in search sequences. The estimated model rationalizes patterns in data on online consumer search paths: search tends to converge to the chosen product in attribute space, and consumers take larger steps away from rarely purchased products. Eliminating spatial learning reduces consumer welfare by 12%: cross‐product inferences allow consumers to locate better products in a shorter time. Spatial learning has important implications for product recommendations on retail platforms. We show that consumer welfare can be reduced by unrepresentative product recommendations and that consumer‐optimal product recommendations depend on both consumer learning and competition between platforms.