Answer to Question #48549 in Macroeconomics for gh

Question

c. What other variables might be important in helping estimate the demand for this travel product?

Answer 1

It is important to examine all of the variables that affect the demand for this service.
1) Price of the Product
There is an inverse (negative) relationship between the price of a product and the amount of that product consumers are willing and able to buy. Consumers want to buy more of a product at a low price and less of a product at a high price. This inverse relationship between price and the amount consumers are willing and able to buy is often referred to as The Law of Demand.
2) The Consumer's Income
The effect that income has on the amount of a product that consumers are willing and able to buy depends on the type of good we're talking about. For most goods, there is a positive (direct) relationship between a consumer's income and the amount of the good that one is willing and able to buy. In other words, for these goods when income rises the demand for the product will increase; when income falls, the demand for the product will decrease. We call these types of goods normal goods.
3) The Price of Related Goods or Services
As with income, the effect that this has on the amount that one is willing and able to buy depends on the type of good we're talking about. Think about two goods that are typically consumed together. For example, bagels and cream cheese. We call these types of goods compliments. If the price of a bagel goes up, the Law of Demand tells us that we will be willing/able to buy fewer bagels. But if we want fewer bagels, we will also want to use less cream cheese (since we typically use them together). Therefore, an increase in the price of bagels means we want to purchase less cream cheese. We can summarize this by saying that when two goods are complements, there is an inverse relationship between the price of one good and the demand for the other good.
4) The Tastes and Preferences of Consumers
This is a less tangible item that still can have a big impact on demand. There are all kinds of things that can change one's tastes or preferences that cause people to want to buy more or less of a product. For example, if a celebrity endorses a new product, this may increase the demand for a product. On the other hand, if a new health study comes out saying something is bad for your health, this may decrease the demand for the product. Another example is that a person may have a higher demand for an umbrella on a rainy day than on a sunny day.
5) The Consumer's Expectations
It doesn't just matter what is currently going on - one's expectations for the future can also affect how much of a product one is willing and able to buy. For example, if you hear that Apple will soon introduce a new iPod that has more memory and longer battery life, you (and other consumers) may decide to wait to buy an iPod until the new product comes out. When people decide to wait, they are decreasing the current demand for iPods because of what they expect to happen in the future. Similarly, if you expect the price of gasoline to go up tomorrow, you may fill up your car with gas now.
6)The Number of Consumers in the Market
As more or fewer consumers enter the market this has a direct effect on the amount of a product that consumers (in general) are willing and able to buy. For example, a pizza shop located near a University will have more demand and thus higher sales during the fall and spring semesters. In the summers, when less students are taking classes, the demand for their product will decrease because the number of consumers in the area has significantly decreased.