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In order to describe each type of market, it is necessary to list the characteristics that define it, namely:
- The products concerned and their homogeneity or heterogeneity.
- The list of sellers: local, remote, etc.
- The buyers: those who are already present, potential buyers, etc.
- The type of delivery
- The delivery process: costs, insurance, etc.
- The place of delivery: freight, etc.
As a general rule in economics, a market is defined in terms of the buyers and sellers who drive it.
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when, in a free market, there is only one seller for many buyers, because there are no substitute products. The product sold by the monopolist is the only one available.
In a monopoly-type market, a distinction is made between monopoly in the private market and monopoly in the public market. These are two completely different issues, as the former often result from the filing of a patent, while the latter arise, in principle, to safeguard a general interest.
Area of study for an essay: what are the consequences of a private monopoly and a public monopoly? Can the state benefit from a public monopoly?
Oligopoly
An oligopoly is a fairly common type of market. It is a market for a product that is sold by very few sellers compared to the large number of buyers. Since the product is the same, all sellers must charge the same price, because if one decided to sell the product at a higher price, they would immediately lose their customers. But it's not that simple, because the behavior of the “few” sellers of the product towards each other can trigger different situations:
- Collusion: the sellers collude.
- Price leadership: one of the sellers acts as the leader, setting a price that the others follow.
- Price war: the sellers declare a price war on each other in an attempt to eliminate each other.
Area of study for an essay: is there a better way to set prices in an oligopolistic market? Where does the objectivity of price setting lie?
Monopolistic competition
This refers to a market where several sellers offer products that are not exactly the same, but very similar. As a result, each seller can set their own price, but they still have to be mindful of the others, as the products are similar. This is the case for many everyday products, such as laundry detergent, toothpaste, etc.
Essay topic: In a monopolistic competition market, marketing and advertising play a very important role. Is advertising an essential tool for sellers in a monopolistic competition situation? Does the number of sellers determine whether there is a real need to invest in marketing and advertising?
Perfect competition
Perfect competition exists when the market is free, the product is homogeneous, and there are a large number of sellers and buyers. These are the three main characteristics that define what could be described as a theoretical model rather than a real market.
A topic for discussion: is there a gap between the theory of perfect competition and the real market? Would the existence of a market in perfect competition be a source of progress and inventions that could benefit people's daily lives?
