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An Experimental Comparison of Sequential First- and Second-Price Auctions with Synergies

Author

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  • Leufkens Kasper

    (Department of Economics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands, kles@cbs.nl)

  • Peeters Ronald

    (Department of Economics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands, r.peeters@maastrichtuniversity.nl)

  • Vorsatz Marc

    (Departamento de Análisis Ecónomico II, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain, mvorsatz@cee.uned.es)

Abstract

Using laboratory experiments, we compare the performance of first-price and second-price auctions when two stochastically equivalent objects are auctioned sequentially and the winner of the first auction receives a positive synergy in the second auction. According to the risk-neutral subgame perfect Nash equilibrium, the second-price auction provides more efficiency and a higher revenue to the seller, but a lower ex ante expected payoff to the bidders. Our experimental data indicate precisely the opposite results for format comparisons: the first-price auction gives rise to larger levels of efficiency and revenue, but lower payoffs to the bidders. Despite the lower payoff, the likelihood of an ex post loss is also smaller under the first-price auction. Our results therefore support the common use of the first-price auction in governmental and business-to-business procurements.

Suggested Citation

  • Leufkens Kasper & Peeters Ronald & Vorsatz Marc, 2012. "An Experimental Comparison of Sequential First- and Second-Price Auctions with Synergies," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-28, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejtec:v:12:y:2012:i:1:n:2
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1704.1608
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    Cited by:

    1. Anthony M. Kwasnica & Katerina Sherstyuk, 2013. "Multiunit Auctions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 461-490, July.
    2. Barbosa, Klenio & Boyer, Pierre C., 2021. "Discrimination in Dynamic Procurement Design with Learning-by-doing," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Xiaoshu Xu & Dan Levin & Lixin Ye, 2012. "Auctions with synergy and resale," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 41(2), pages 397-426, May.
    4. Corazzini, Luca & Galavotti, Stefano & Valbonesi, Paola, 2019. "An experimental study on sequential auctions with privately known capacities," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 289-315.
    5. Hikmet Gunay & Ricardo Huamán-Aguilar, 2024. "Experiments on the Different Numbers of Bidders in Sequential Auctions," Documentos de Trabajo / Working Papers 2024-530, Departamento de Economía - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.
    6. F. Javier Otamendi & Isabelle Brocas & Juan D. Carrillo, 2018. "Sequential Auctions with Capacity Constraints: An Experimental Investigation," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-31, March.
    7. Ingebretsen Carlson, Jim & Wu, Tingting, 2022. "Shill bidding and information in eBay auctions: A Laboratory study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 341-360.

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