This research theorizes that sellers of durable goods can utilize inferences
about the buyer’s willingness to pay based not only on her
decision to trade in the old good but also on its characteristics. We find
empirical support for this theory using transaction data for new car
purchases. The results support the notion that dealers infer a higher
willingness to pay and charge higher prices to consumers who trade in
a used vehicle than to those who do not. We also find that dealers
charge even higher prices to those consumers who trade in used cars
that are similar to the new one.