Which of the following best describes consumer surplus in the context of willingness to pay for goods purchased on Amazon compared to payments made via Venmo?

• A. Consumer surplus is determined solely by the payment method, not by the price or willingness to pay.
• B. Consumer surplus is always higher when using Venmo, regardless of the transaction type.
• C. Willingness to pay does not affect consumer surplus for purchases made on Amazon.
• D. Consumer surplus is higher when consumers purchase goods on Amazon if their willingness to pay exceeds the market price.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of consumer surplus. Consumer surplus is the difference between the maximum amount a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the actual price they pay for it. Mathematically, it can be expressed as: \[\text{Consumer Surplus} = \text{Willingness to Pay} - \text{Price Paid}\]
2. Step 2: Recognize that consumer surplus depends on both the consumer's willingness to pay and the price they actually pay, not on the payment method itself. The method of payment (e.g., Amazon or Venmo) does not directly determine consumer surplus.
3. Step 3: Analyze the scenario where a consumer purchases goods on Amazon. If the consumer's willingness to pay is greater than the market price on Amazon, then the consumer surplus is positive and higher, because they gain extra value from paying less than what they were willing to pay.
4. Step 4: Compare this to the idea that consumer surplus is always higher when using Venmo or that willingness to pay does not affect consumer surplus. These statements are incorrect because consumer surplus is fundamentally about the difference between willingness to pay and price, regardless of payment method.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of consumer surplus in this context is that it is higher when consumers purchase goods on Amazon if their willingness to pay exceeds the market price, reflecting the true economic benefit to the consumer.