Price elasticity is a measure of how sensitive the demand for a good or service is to changes in its price. It tells us how much the quantity of a product that consumers are willing to purchase changes in response to a change in its price. Price elasticity can be either elastic or inelastic, depending on the degree to which the quantity demanded changes in response to a change in price.
Elastic demand refers to a situation where the quantity demanded of a product is highly sensitive to changes in its price. This means that if the price of a product increases, the quantity demanded will decrease significantly. Similarly, if the price of a product decreases, the quantity demanded will increase significantly. Elastic demand is typically observed for products that have many substitutes or are considered non-essential by consumers.
On the other hand, inelastic demand refers to a situation where the quantity demanded of a product is relatively insensitive to changes in its price. This means that if the price of a product increases, the quantity demanded will only decrease slightly. Similarly, if the price of a product decreases, the quantity demanded will only increase slightly. Inelastic demand is typically observed for products that have few substitutes or are considered essential by consumers.
One way to measure price elasticity is to use the elasticity coefficient, which is calculated by dividing the percentage change in quantity demanded by the percentage change in price. A product with an elasticity coefficient greater than one is considered to have elastic demand, while a product with an elasticity coefficient less than one is considered to have inelastic demand.
There are several factors that can affect the elasticity of demand for a product. These include the availability of substitutes, the importance of the product to consumers, the proportion of income that the product represents for consumers, and the time frame under consideration.
In general, firms prefer to sell products with inelastic demand, as they can charge higher prices without losing too many customers. On the other hand, products with elastic demand are typically sold at lower prices in order to increase the quantity sold. Understanding the elasticity of demand for a product is important for firms when setting prices and making marketing decisions. It helps them to understand how consumers will respond to changes in price and to optimize their pricing strategy accordingly.