Nachfragern

Nachfrager is the term used in economics to denote agents who demand goods and services. In standard usage the plural form is Nachfrager, and they form the demand side of markets alongside the suppliers (Anbieter). Nachfrager can be individuals, households, firms purchasing on behalf of others, or public authorities when buying goods and services. They influence prices and quantities through their purchasing choices and aggregate demand in an economy.

The demand of Nachfrager is typically represented by a demand function that relates the quantity demanded to the price of the good and other factors such as income, prices of substitute or complementary goods, tastes, expectations about future prices and income, and the size of the population. On a graph, a decrease in price usually leads to an increase in quantity demanded, producing the downward-sloping demand curve. Movements along the curve reflect price changes, while shifts occur when non-price factors alter demand.

Key determinants include income levels, prices of related goods, consumer preferences, expectations, and the number of buyers in the market. The concept of elasticity measures how sensitive quantity demanded is to price changes (price elasticity of demand), as well as to income changes (income elasticity) and to prices of other goods (cross-price elasticity). In macro contexts, Nachfrager contribute to aggregate demand, which, together with investment, government spending, and net exports, helps explain economic fluctuations.

Note: In standard German, the plural nominative is Nachfrager; the form Nachfragern occurs only as the dative plural (den Nachfragern). The form may appear as a nonstandard or dialectal usage in some texts.