Which of the following situations would result in a low consumer surplus for a buyer?

• A. The buyer's willingness to pay is much higher than the market price.
• B. The buyer does not purchase the good because the price exceeds their willingness to pay.
• C. The buyer's willingness to pay is only slightly higher than the market price.
• D. The buyer purchases the good at a price below their willingness to pay.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of consumer surplus. Consumer surplus is the difference between the maximum price a buyer is willing to pay for a good (willingness to pay) and the actual market price they pay. It measures the benefit or gain the consumer receives from purchasing the good at a lower price than their maximum willingness to pay.
2. Step 2: Analyze the first situation: 'The buyer's willingness to pay is much higher than the market price.' Here, the consumer surplus is large because the difference between willingness to pay and market price is big.
3. Step 3: Analyze the second situation: 'The buyer does not purchase the good because the price exceeds their willingness to pay.' In this case, consumer surplus is zero because no transaction occurs, so the buyer gains no surplus.
4. Step 4: Analyze the third situation: 'The buyer's willingness to pay is only slightly higher than the market price.' Since the difference between willingness to pay and market price is small, the consumer surplus is low.
5. Step 5: Analyze the fourth situation: 'The buyer purchases the good at a price below their willingness to pay.' This implies a positive consumer surplus, which could be large or small depending on the difference, but generally not low if the price is significantly below willingness to pay.