Suppose all the producers sell toasters through Wal-Mart, and WalMart lets producers choose from 2 options. With Option A, a producer sells a toaster at $49 but has to offer a free warranty to the consumer. With Option B, a producer sells a toaster at $10 without any warranty. A free warranty means that if a customer's toaster breaks, then she can return it and the producer must give her a full refund. (The returned good is of no use to anyone and will be dumped.)

a. Which option will a low-quality producer choose, A or B? Justify numerically.

b. Which option will a high-quality producer choose, A or B? Justify numerically.

c. Will offering a free warranty send a useful signal to the consumer in this case? Why?

see explaination

Explanation:

1. A low-quality producer will not provide any warranty, because he knows there will be more warranty claims.

He will choose option B.

Example:

Option B:

Toaster sell 100

Price $10

Sales = $1000

Profit = $100 (let's say it costs him $9 to make it).

Toaster sell 35 (as 5 times high price).

Price $49

Sales = $1725

Warranty Expense (let's say, due to multiple times claims) = $1500

Profit = - $90 (let's say it costs him $9 to make it).

2. A high-quality producer will provide any warranty because he knows there will be very very few warranty claims.

He will choose option B.

3. Yes, the act of offering free warranty will go a long way in conveying a positive signal to customers that the brand is providing quality product & it trusts its product.