How does the concept of consumer surplus apply to high quality products marketed to high-income individuals?

• A. Consumer surplus is always zero for high-income individuals purchasing high quality products.
• B. Consumer surplus is unrelated to willingness to pay for high quality products.
• C. High-income individuals may experience a larger consumer surplus because their willingness to pay often exceeds the market price for high quality products.
• D. High quality products eliminate consumer surplus for all buyers.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of consumer surplus. Consumer surplus is the difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for a good and what they actually pay. Mathematically, it is expressed as \(\text{Consumer Surplus} = \text{Willingness to Pay} - \text{Market Price}\), provided willingness to pay is greater than the market price.
2. Step 2: Recognize that high-income individuals generally have a higher willingness to pay for high quality products because they value the additional features, prestige, or utility these products provide.
3. Step 3: Analyze how consumer surplus applies in this context. Since high-income individuals' willingness to pay often exceeds the market price of high quality products, they gain a positive consumer surplus, meaning they derive extra benefit beyond the price paid.
4. Step 4: Contrast this with the incorrect statements: consumer surplus is not always zero for high-income buyers, nor is it unrelated to willingness to pay. Also, high quality products do not eliminate consumer surplus; rather, they can increase it for those willing to pay more.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct interpretation is that high-income individuals may experience a larger consumer surplus because their willingness to pay exceeds the market price, leading to a positive difference and thus consumer surplus.