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eBay's Buy-It-Now Function: Who, When, and How

Author

Listed:
  • Durham Yvonne

    (Western Washington University)

  • Roelofs Matthew R

    (Western Washington University)

  • Standifird Stephen S

    (University of San Diego)

Abstract

This paper utilizes field experiment methodology and market data to study the "Buy-it-Now" (BIN) function in a series of eBay coin auctions. BIN auctions are typically listed by sellers with higher reputations. The probability an auction will end BIN increases with seller reputation and is not significantly affected by negative comments. Auctions listed by new sellers average lower prices and are less likely to end BIN. Buyer use of the BIN option increases as the BIN price decreases. We find that price is directly related to seller reputation, though not affected by negative comments, and is negatively related to buyer reputation. This result is driven by those auctions that start with a BIN price.

Suggested Citation

  • Durham Yvonne & Roelofs Matthew R & Standifird Stephen S, 2004. "eBay's Buy-It-Now Function: Who, When, and How," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 1-24, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:topics.4:y:2004:i:1:n:28
    DOI: 10.2202/1538-0653.1316
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Katkar Rama & Reiley David H, 2007. "Public versus Secret Reserve Prices in eBay Auctions: Results from a Pokémon Field Experiment," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2), pages 1-25, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shiu, Ji-Liang & Sun, Chia-Hung D., 2014. "Modeling and estimating returns to seller reputation with unobserved heterogeneity in online auctions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 59-67.
    2. Jolivet, Grégory & Jullien, Bruno & Postel-Vinay, Fabien, 2016. "Reputation and prices on the e-market: Evidence from a major French platform," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 59-75.
    3. Shunda, Nicholas, 2009. "Auctions with a buy price: The case of reference-dependent preferences," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 645-664, November.
    4. Tim Grebe & Radosveta Ivanova-Stenzel & Sabine Kröger, 2009. "Buy-it-Now Prices in eBay Auctions-The Field in the Lab," Cahiers de recherche 0950, CIRPEE.
    5. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2006. "How eBay Sellers set “Buy-it-now†prices - Bringing The Field Into the Lab," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 181, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    6. Liu, Kang Ernest & Shiu, Ji-Liang & Sun, Chia-Hung, 2013. "How different are consumers in Internet auction markets? Evidence from Japan and Taiwan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 1-12.
    7. Sun, Chia-Hung & Hsu, Ming-Fei, 2007. "The Determinants of Price in Online Auctions: More Evidence from Quantile Regression," Economics Working Papers wp07-18, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    8. Peeters, R.J.A.P. & Strobel, M. & Vermeulen, A.J. & Walzl, M., 2007. "The impact of the irrelevant - Temporary buy-options and bidding behavior in online auctions," Research Memorandum 027, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    9. Axel Ockenfels & David Reiley & Abdolkarim Sadrieh, 2006. "Online Auctions," NBER Working Papers 12785, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Anderson, Steven & Friedman, Daniel & Milam, Garrett & Singh, Nirvikar, 2007. "Buy it now: A hybrid market institution," MPRA Paper 4322, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Ronald Peeters & Martin Strobel & Dries Vermeulen & Markus Walzl, 2016. "The Impact of the Irrelevant: Temporary Buy-Options and Bidding Behavior in Auctions," Games, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-19, March.

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