MARKET CONTROL: The ability of buyers or sellers to exert influence over the price or quantity of a good, service, or commodity exchanged in a market. Market control depends on the number of competitors. If a market has relatively few buyers, but a bunch of sellers, then the buyers tend to have relatively more market control than sellers. The converse occurs if there are a bunch of buyers, but relatively few sellers. If the market is controlled on the supply side by one seller, we have a monopoly, and if it is controlled on the demand side by one buyer, we have a monopsony. Most markets are subject to some degree of control.

     See also | market | price | market structure | monopoly | monopsony | competitive market | fourth rule of competition | price taker | price maker | competitive market |