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On the informational inefficiency of discriminatory price auctions

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  • Jackson, Matthew O.
  • Kremer, Ilan

Abstract

We analyze bidding behavior in large discriminatory price auctions where the number of objects is a non-trivial proportion of the number of bidders. Bidders observe private signals that are affiliated with the common value. We show that the average price in the auction is biased downward from the expected value of the objects, even in the competitive limit. In particular, we show that conditional on relatively low signals, bidders bid the expected value of the objects conditional n their information and winning; while bids at higher signals flatten out and are below the expected value conditional on winning.
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Suggested Citation

  • Jackson, Matthew O. & Kremer, Ilan, 2007. "On the informational inefficiency of discriminatory price auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 132(1), pages 507-517, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:132:y:2007:i:1:p:507-517
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bali, Valentina & Jackson, Matthew, 2002. "Asymptotic Revenue Equivalence in Auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 161-176, September.
    2. Wolfgang Pesendorfer & Jeroen M. Swinkels, 1997. "The Loser's Curse and Information Aggregation in Common Value Auctions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(6), pages 1247-1282, November.
    3. Milgrom, Paul R & Weber, Robert J, 1982. "A Theory of Auctions and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(5), pages 1089-1122, September.
    4. Milgrom, Paul R, 1981. "Rational Expectations, Information Acquisition, and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(4), pages 921-943, June.
    5. Jackson, Matthew O. & Kremer, Ilan, 2004. "The relationship between the allocation of goods and a seller's revenue," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(3-4), pages 371-392, June.
    6. Milgrom, Paul R, 1979. "A Convergence Theorem for Competitive Bidding with Differential Information," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(3), pages 679-688, May.
    7. Robert Wilson, 1977. "A Bidding Model of Perfect Competition," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 44(3), pages 511-518.
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    Cited by:

    1. Haoran He & Yefeng Chen, 2021. "Auction mechanisms for allocating subsidies for carbon emissions reduction: an experimental investigation," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 57(2), pages 387-430, August.
    2. Songzi Du, 2018. "Robust Mechanisms Under Common Valuation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 86(5), pages 1569-1588, September.
    3. Alp E. Atakan & Mehmet Ekmekci, 2021. "Market Selection and the Information Content of Prices," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(5), pages 2049-2079, September.
    4. Yu Xia, 2025. "Discriminatory auctions lead to lower allowance prices: evidence from the United States," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 45(4), pages 1735-1743.
    5. Yin, Pai-Ling, 2007. "Empirical tests of information aggregation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 1179-1189, December.

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