A Rival Good is a type of good that can only be consumed by one person at a time. It is unlike a non-rival or non-excludable type of good, which can be used by multiple people at a time and is often non-competitive in nature. In other words, rival goods are limited in supply and can only be used by one person at a time.

Rival goods can be either durable or nondurable. Durable goods last over a long period of time whereas non-durable goods are used up and disposed of immediately. Food, clothing, electronics, cars, airplanes and houses are examples of rival goods.

The limited availability of rival goods creates high demand and competition, which increases the perceived value to the consumers . This can be reflected in pricing, with businesses capitalizing on the limited supply and higher demand by setting higher prices on the goods. Interestingly, this can also have the reverse effect and lead to decreased prices if a good is no longer scarce and in high demand.

Rival goods can also be limited in terms of space. For example, cars can only drive one person at a time and airline seats are limited to one person for each ticket. In this way, rival goods are different from non-rival goods, which can be consumed by multiple people at once, such as a movie or concert ticket.

Overall, rival goods can create competition among the individuals that seek them, which, when combined with their limited availability, provides businesses with the leeway to set higher prices on their supply. Although rival goods can pose challenges in terms of pricing and availability, they can ultimately lead to increased satisfaction among consumers who seek them.