Broadly, my research studies how market frictions — inattention, self-control, information asymmetry, product returns — shape pricing, assortment, and sales-management decisions. Each summary below states the question in plain language.
Recent Publications
Kraft, Andreas, and Raghunath Singh Rao (2025). “Market Effects of Inattention: Theory and Evidence from Left-Digit Bias.” Journal of Marketing Research, Forthcoming.
Can intermediaries skim inattentive buyers? Using millions of transactions, we show how car dealerships profit from left-digit bias.
Li, Yue, Raghunath Singh Rao, and Paola Mallucci (2025). “Product Returns and Assortment Decisions: A Strategic Analysis of Online and Offline Competition.” Journal of Marketing Research, 62(5), 895-917.
Can firms use product assortment as a competitive tool when consumers can return their purchases?
Kraft, Andreas, and Raghunath Singh Rao (2025). “Signaling Quality via Demand Lockout.” Quantitative Marketing & Economics, 23(1), 1-44 (Lead Article).
Would firms ever willingly forgo profitable demand? We analyze thousands of movie subtitles to answer this question.
Liu, Zhuping, Qiang Gao, and Raghunath Singh Rao (2025). “Self-Donations and Charitable Contributions in Online Crowdfunding: An Empirical Analysis.” Journal of Marketing, 89(1), 117-134.
Should you donate to your own charitable project? When and why? We analyze millions of donations.
Li, Xiaolin, Raghunath Singh Rao, Om Narasimhan, and Xing Gao (2022). “Stay Positive or Go Negative? Memory Imperfections and Messaging Strategy.” International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(4), 1127-1149.
Should politicians go negative in their messaging or stay positive when voters easily forget the content?
Rao, Raghunath Singh, Madhu Viswanathan, George John, and Sunil Kishore (2021). “Do Activity-Based Incentives Work? Evidence from a Large-Scale Field Intervention.” Journal of Marketing Research, 58(4), 686-704.
Should salespeople be rewarded for their activities? We analyze a three-year intervention within a pharmaceutical firm.
Rao, Raghunath Singh, Julie Irwin, and Zhuping Liu (2020). “Flying with a Net, and Without: Preventative Devices and Self-Control.” International Journal of Research in Marketing, 37(3), 521-543.
Could a device intended to prevent the consequences of a vice actually backfire?
Schaefer, Richard, Raghunath Singh Rao, and Vijay Mahajan (2018). “Marketing Self-Improvement Programs for Self-Signaling Consumers.” Marketing Science, 37(6), 912-929.
Is there self-signaling during the use of a self-improvement product? (Winner, Fordham dissertation proposal competition)
Zhang, Jianqiang, Zhuping Liu, and Raghunath Singh Rao (2018). “Flirting with the Enemy: Online Competitor Referral and Entry-Deterrence.” Quantitative Marketing and Economics, 16(2), 209-249.
When firms say you could buy this from my competition, are they being nice?
Earlier Publications
Hedgcock, William, Raghunath Singh Rao, and Haipeng (Allan) Chen (2016). “Choosing to Choose: The Effects of Decoys and Prior Choice on Deferral.” Management Science, 62(10), 2952-2976.
What can we learn from consumers not choosing to choose?
Rao, Raghunath Singh, and Richard Schaefer (2013). “Conspicuous Consumption and Dynamic Pricing.” Marketing Science, 32(5), 786-804.
Why do status goods usually have high quality?
Kishore, Sunil, Raghunath Singh Rao, Om Narasimhan, and George John (2013). “Bonuses versus Commissions: A Field Study.” Journal of Marketing Research, 50(3), 317-333.
Lump-sum bonus or gradual commissions? A three-year intervention gives nuanced answers. (2014 AMA Sales SIG Best Paper)
Kim, Jungkeun, Raghunath Singh Rao, Kyeongheui Kim, and Akshay R. Rao (2011). “More or Less: Preferences for Under- and Over-payment in Trade-in Transactions.” Journal of Marketing Research, 48(1), 157-171.
Are consumers affected by irrelevant differences in trade-in formats?
Saini, Ritesh, Raghunath Singh Rao, and Ashwani Monga (2010). “Is That Deal Worth My Time? The Interactive Effect of Relative and Referent Thinking on Willingness to Seek a Bargain.” Journal of Marketing, 74(1), 34-48.
Joint consideration of relative and referent thinking yields surprises.
Rao, Raghunath Singh, Om Narasimhan, and George John (2009). “Understanding the Role of Trade-Ins in Durable Goods Markets: Theory and Evidence.” Marketing Science, 28(5), 950-967.
Why do we see so many trade-ins, and how do they affect markets?
Rao, Raghunath Singh, Rajesh K. Chandy, and Jaideep C. Prabhu (2008). “The Fruits of Legitimacy: Why Some New Ventures Gain More from Innovation than Others.” Journal of Marketing, 72(4), 58-75.
Does the market reward firms for being legitimate? Insights from stock returns of U.S. biotech firms. (2018 AMA Gerald E. Hills Best Paper)