Why might a company carry inventory in relation to consumer surplus and willingness to pay?

• A. To ensure products are available when consumers are willing to pay more than the market price, thereby capturing greater consumer surplus.
• B. To reduce the willingness to pay among consumers.
• C. To decrease consumer surplus by limiting product availability.
• D. To avoid any costs associated with storing goods.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of consumer surplus: it is the difference between what consumers are willing to pay for a good and the actual market price they pay.
2. Recognize that when a company carries inventory, it ensures that products are available when consumers want to buy them, especially when their willingness to pay is higher than the market price.
3. By having inventory ready, the company can sell products to consumers who value them more, effectively capturing more consumer surplus and potentially increasing profits.
4. Consider that if the company did not carry inventory, it might miss sales opportunities when demand is high and willingness to pay exceeds the market price, leading to lost consumer surplus.
5. Therefore, carrying inventory is a strategic decision to match supply with consumer willingness to pay, maximizing the capture of consumer surplus rather than reducing it or avoiding storage costs.