The image to the right shows a supply and demand curve.

The point at which the red and blue lines cross is the equilibrium price.

Focus Question: How do buyers and sellers determine the equilibrium price?

Topics on the Page

Equilibrium Price

• Consumer Boycotts and Buycotts

• Grab Your Wallet:  Boycotts of Trump Family and NRA Business Connections

• Historical Example:  The Greensboro Sit-Ins

Interactive Learning Activities and Lesson Plans

Cross-Link: Prices as Signals to Buyers and Sellers

Equilibrium Price

Equilibrium price: when the amount of supply equals the amount in demand.

• The dynamics of supply and demand helps determine the equilibrium price.

• When supply exceeds demand, sellers have to lower their prices in an attempt to get buyers to purchase.

• When demand is greater than the supply, the buyers make the price go up because they are competing to buy the same goods.

• Factors such as the cost of production, consumption habits, and restrictive practices and monopolies help influence the equilibrium price.
• For example, if the buyer's consumption habit changes and they begin buying more of a certain product, there will be more of a demand for it.

• To maintain an equilibrium price, the supply would have to rise as well. If the supply did not rise, then sellers would raise the price of their goods, throwing off the equilibrium price.

Here is a link to a Youtube tutorial on Equilibrium Price.

Video from Khan Academy which discusses Market Equilibrium.

Video discussing Equilibrium from Study.com. 

Consumer Boycotts and Buycotts

Buycotts


Buycotting is a form of consumer power where people engage in an active campaign to buy the products or services of a particular company or country. It is an attempt to let political, moral, or ethical considerations factor into demand for a product.

Why Buycotts Could Overtake Boycotts among Consumer Activists


Boycotts

TIME Article about the Woolworth Sit Ins during the Civil Rights Movement which can work to give context to discussing boycotts.

• February 1, 1960: Black Students and the Greensboro Sit-In

Grad Your Wallet is an online list of retailers than carry Trump products, support Trump policies or services that stream National Rifle Association programming.

Interactive Learning Activities and Lesson Plans

Click here to play a fun supply and demand game from Schmoop.

• Click here for a description of a classroom game that teaches students about supply, demand and the equilibrium price.

More activities, graphs, and information on equilibrium price from Schmoop.

• NOVA Lesson Plan: Mind Over Money explores the new science of behavioral economics.

• Check out this lesson plan provided by New York public television.

• Pearl Exchange activity which discusses supply and demand as well as equilibrium price.

• Activity and Readings that gives examples of equilibrium.

Sources:
1. Equilibrium Price. Accessed April 16th, 2008. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx?q=equilibrium+price
2. Supply and Demand. Accessed April 17th, 2008. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761551825/Supply_and_Demand.html