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Bidding behavior and experience in internet auctions

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  • Pownall, Rachel A.J.
  • Wolk, Leonard

Abstract

We study the role of experience in internet art auctions by analyzing repeated bidding by the same bidder in a unique longitudinal field dataset. Our results show that experience significantly lowers the level of bids suggesting that bidders change their bidding behavior throughout time. Participating in more than ten auctions brings down average bids by up to 26%. We further test several possible explanations for the observed learning behavior and show that the change in bidding strategy is a result of a change in within-auction behavior that is generated with experience. Our results are robust to concerns of endogenous participation as well as bidder fixed effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Pownall, Rachel A.J. & Wolk, Leonard, 2013. "Bidding behavior and experience in internet auctions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 14-27.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:61:y:2013:i:c:p:14-27
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2013.02.007
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giuseppe Attanasi & Kene Boun My & Andrea Guido & Mathieu Lefevbre, 2019. "Controlling Monopoly Power in a Classroom Double-Auction Market Experiment," Working Papers of BETA 2019-08, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    3. Giuseppe Attanasi & Kene Boun My & Andrea Guido & Mathieu Lefebvre, 2021. "Controlling monopoly power in a double‐auction market experiment," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 23(5), pages 1074-1101, October.
    4. Zhuang, Hejun & Popkowski Leszczyc, Peter T.L., 2022. "Optimal seller strategy in overlapping auctions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    5. Lu, Dong & Zhan, Yaosong, 2022. "Over-the-counter versus double auction in asset markets with near-zero-intelligence traders," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    6. Podwol, Joseph Uri & Schneider, Henry S., 2016. "Nonstandard bidder behavior in real-world auctions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 198-212.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Auctions; Bidding; Learning; Experience;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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