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What is Supply and Demand?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Supply and demand is considered a basic economic concept, as well as a vital part of a free market economy. Supply is the amount of something, such as a product or service, that a market has available. Demand is the amount of the product or service that buyers want to purchase. The relationship between supply and demand has a good deal of influence on the price of goods and services.

Understanding the law of demand is an important part of deciphering the relationship between supply and demand. According to the law of demand, price has a significant effect on demand. Essentially, higher prices translate into less demand for a product or service. When the price of an item or service is high, an individual must consider that buying the item may prevent him from being able to afford the purchase of another, more valuable item. As such, the opportunity cost of that item is too high and demand for it may be low.

The equilibrium point is where supply equals demand.
The equilibrium point is where supply equals demand.

The law of supply is also vital to understanding the relationship between supply and demand. According to the law of supply, higher quantities of a product or service are supplied at a higher price. Those who produce goods and offer services are willing to supply more at higher prices because selling their wares at higher prices provides increased revenues.

If supply exceeds demand, companies may offer lower prices to entice consumers to purchase a particular product.
If supply exceeds demand, companies may offer lower prices to entice consumers to purchase a particular product.

To understand this economic relationship, consider a unique gift item that is priced at 99 US Dollars (USD). The company that makes the gift item has analyzes past sales and determines that demand for this particular item will be low if it is priced higher than 99 USD. The company decides to produce and release just 100 gift items because its analysis predicts that the opportunity cost is too high to provide for high demand. However, if 200 people demand the gift item, the price will rise along with the demand. Since higher prices lead to increased supply, more of the gift item will be produced and offered.

Companies must project demand for their product and adjust supply.
Companies must project demand for their product and adjust supply.

The supply and demand relationship affects price in a different manner when a company has produced too much of an item. For example, if the gift company increases production to create 500 gift items, but the demand stays at 200, the supply outstrips the demand and the price will not rise. By contrast, the company may actually lower the price in an attempt to attract consumers who considered the gift item attractive, but thought the opportunity cost was too high.

It is possible for supply and demand to be equal. In order for this to happen, the amount of supplied products or services must equal the demand for those products and services. If this is attained, the economy is balanced in a state of equilibrium.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a SmartCapitalMind writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a SmartCapitalMind writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

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Discussion Comments

anon256421

@anon52041: The concept of supply and demand is: When supply is greater than demand, prices tend to go down. When demand is greater than supply, prices tend to go up.

anon244592

Can anyone explain an easy example of demand?

anon175987

Can anyone help me with understanding supply and demand in Ibiza? i need help!

anon141726

Could you explain supply in the humanitarian concept? --Ralph T.

anon52014

what does the concept of demand and supply mean?

Phillips

How do supply and demand affect the market?

anon8635

1. What is Excess supply and Excess Demand Concepts?

2. Give me some world wide examples on the concepts?

3. How can excess supply affect the market activities?

4. How excess supply activity of a producer can affect the purchasing ability of consumers?

deathryper

so whats the exact meaning of the relationship of supply and demand../??

-aldrine

-third year student

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    • The equilibrium point is where supply equals demand.
      By: adrian_ilie825
      The equilibrium point is where supply equals demand.
    • If supply exceeds demand, companies may offer lower prices to entice consumers to purchase a particular product.
      By: Bikeworldtravel
      If supply exceeds demand, companies may offer lower prices to entice consumers to purchase a particular product.
    • Companies must project demand for their product and adjust supply.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Companies must project demand for their product and adjust supply.