From the perspective of consumer surplus and willingness to pay, should Amazon stock every product it sells?

• A. No, because consumer surplus is unaffected by the variety of products offered.
• B. No, because stocking every product may include items for which consumers' willingness to pay is less than the cost of stocking, reducing overall consumer surplus.
• C. Yes, because more products always lead to higher willingness to pay for all consumers.
• D. Yes, because stocking every product always maximizes consumer surplus regardless of costs.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of consumer surplus, which is the difference between what consumers are willing to pay for a good and what they actually pay. It measures the net benefit to consumers from purchasing a product.
2. Step 2: Recognize that willingness to pay varies across different products and consumers. Some products may have a high willingness to pay, while others may have a willingness to pay that is lower than the cost of stocking those products.
3. Step 3: Consider the cost side: stocking every product involves costs (such as inventory, storage, and management). If the cost of stocking a product exceeds consumers' willingness to pay for it, then including that product can reduce overall consumer surplus.
4. Step 4: Analyze the trade-off between variety and cost. While offering more products can increase consumer choice and potentially increase consumer surplus, adding products with low willingness to pay relative to their cost can decrease total consumer surplus.
5. Step 5: Conclude that Amazon should not stock every product it sells because doing so may include products where the cost of stocking exceeds consumers' willingness to pay, thereby reducing overall consumer surplus.