HP has developed a new, high-end, high-resolution printer, which can print 40 pages per minute. Its market research identified two target segments of customers: 3,500 large businesses and 6,500 university labs. A large business has a valuation of $900 for the new printer, whereas a university lab has a valuation of $630. HP’s variable cost for the printer is $450/unit; all fixed costs are sunk. Assume that each customer needs at most one new HP printer (i.e., no customer will buy multiple units). (a) Suppose that HP cannot price discriminate the two segments of customers, i.e., it can charge only one price for its printer. What is HP’s optimal price for the new printer? What is its maximum profit? (b) Suppose that HP can install an extra chip in the printer to slow down printing to 15 pages per minute. Such a chip costs HP $20 to make and install for each printer. The slower version of the printer is valued at $700 by a large business customer and $600 by a university lab. With second-degree price discrimination, what are HP’s optimal prices for the two versions of the printers, and what is its corresponding total profit?
HP has developed a new, high-end, high-resolution printer, which can print 40 pages per minute. Its
(a) Suppose that HP cannot price discriminate the two segments of customers, i.e., it can charge only one price for its printer. What is HP’s optimal price for the new printer? What is its maximum profit?
(b) Suppose that HP can install an extra chip in the printer to slow down printing to 15 pages per minute. Such a chip costs HP $20 to make and install for each printer. The slower version of the printer is valued at $700 by a large business customer and $600 by a university lab. With second-degree
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