Which of the following best explains a limitation of the incentives expressed in the advertisement in terms of consumer surplus and willingness to pay?

• A. The incentives ensure that consumer surplus is maximized for every individual.
• B. The incentives always guarantee that every consumer will purchase the product.
• C. The incentives may not increase consumer surplus if consumers' willingness to pay is already below the discounted price.
• D. The incentives eliminate the difference between market price and willingness to pay for all consumers.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of consumer surplus, which is the difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for a good or service and the actual price they pay. Mathematically, consumer surplus = willingness to pay - market price, when willingness to pay is greater than the price.
2. Step 2: Analyze the role of incentives such as discounts or promotions. These incentives lower the market price, potentially increasing consumer surplus for those whose willingness to pay is above the discounted price.
3. Step 3: Consider the limitation that if a consumer's willingness to pay is below the discounted price, even the incentive will not induce them to purchase the product. In this case, consumer surplus remains zero because the consumer does not buy the product.
4. Step 4: Recognize that incentives do not guarantee that every consumer will purchase the product, as some consumers' willingness to pay may be too low regardless of the discount.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the limitation of the incentives is that they may not increase consumer surplus for all consumers, especially those whose willingness to pay is below the discounted price, meaning the incentives do not eliminate the gap between willingness to pay and market price for everyone.