The prices charged depend on another concept in economics: the supply of goods and services, and the demand for goods and services. Economists call this the law of supply and demand.
• Be the consumer: When prices are low, quantity demand for the product/service increases. The consumer is always looking for a bargain. Demand is from the consumer’s point of view.
• Be the supplier: When prices are high, quantity supply of the produce/service will increase. The supplier is always looking for the highest price to cover costs and make a profit as part of their income. Supply is from the seller’s point of view.
3 Demand The law of demand defines the relationship between price and quantity.
As the price increases ( services decreases (
), the quantity demanded for the goods or ), all things remaining equal.
As the price decreases ( things remaining equal.
Example
Let’s look back at Deirdre’s Doughnuts. As the price of doughnuts decreases, consumers will buy more.
Demand can be shown in two ways:
1. A demand schedule 2. A demand curve
1. A demand schedule shows the price of the product and the quantity demanded at that given price.
2. A demand curve shows the same information as the demand schedule but is represented on a graph.
), the quantity demanded increases ( ), all Quantity (Q)