Which of the following situations best represents a consumer-driven pricing action?

• A. A government imposes a price ceiling on a good.
• B. A buyer negotiates a lower price for a product based on their willingness to pay.
• C. A firm sets a fixed price for its product regardless of consumer demand.
• D. A seller increases the price of a product due to rising production costs.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of consumer-driven pricing: This occurs when the price of a good or service is influenced primarily by the actions or preferences of consumers, such as their willingness to pay or negotiation behavior.
2. Analyze each option to identify who is driving the price change: Determine whether the price is set or influenced by consumers, producers, or external authorities.
3. For the option 'A government imposes a price ceiling on a good,' recognize that this is a regulatory action by an external authority, not driven by consumers.
4. For the option 'A buyer negotiates a lower price for a product based on their willingness to pay,' note that this directly involves the consumer influencing the price through negotiation, which fits the consumer-driven pricing definition.
5. For the options where a firm sets a fixed price or a seller increases price due to production costs, understand these are producer-driven pricing actions, not consumer-driven.