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Do Auctioneers Pick Optimal Reserve Prices?

Author

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  • Andrew M. Davis

    (Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802)

  • Elena Katok

    (Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802)

  • Anthony M. Kwasnica

    (Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802)

Abstract

We investigate how auctioneers set reserve prices in auctions. A well-established theoretical result, assuming risk neutrality of the seller, is that the optimal reserve price should not depend on the number of participating bidders. In a set of controlled laboratory experiments, we find that seller behavior often deviates from the theoretical benchmarks. We extend the existing theory to explore three alternative explanations for our results: risk aversion, anticipated regret, and probability weighting. After fitting our data to each of these models through parameter estimation techniques on both an aggregate and individual level, we find that all three models are consistent with some of the characteristics of our data, but that the regret model provides a slightly more favorable fit overall. This paper was accepted by Teck-Hua Ho, decision analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew M. Davis & Elena Katok & Anthony M. Kwasnica, 2011. "Do Auctioneers Pick Optimal Reserve Prices?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(1), pages 177-192, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:57:y:2011:i:1:p:177-192
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1100.1258
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    Cited by:

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    4. Ricardo Gonçalves, 2013. "Empirical Evidence on the Impact of Reserve Prices in E nglish Auctions," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 202-242, March.
    5. Shachat, Jason & Tan, Lijia, 2019. "How Auctioneers Set Ex-Ante and Ex-Post Reserve Prices in English Auctions," MPRA Paper 96225, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Özalp Özer & Yanchong Zheng, 2016. "Markdown or Everyday Low Price? The Role of Behavioral Motives," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(2), pages 326-346, February.
    7. Moraux, Franck & Navatte, Patrick, 2015. "How do reservation prices impact distressed debt rescheduling?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 269-282.
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    9. Yinghao Zhang & Karen Donohue & Tony Haitao Cui, 2016. "Contract Preferences and Performance for the Loss-Averse Supplier: Buyback vs. Revenue Sharing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(6), pages 1734-1754, June.
    10. Zhe Chen, 2021. "The multidimensional procurement auctions with reference‐based utility," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 319-325, March.
    11. Christoph March, 2019. "The Behavioral Economics of Artificial Intelligence: Lessons from Experiments with Computer Players," CESifo Working Paper Series 7926, CESifo.
    12. Heczko, Alexander & Kittsteiner, Thomas & Ott, Marion, 2023. "The benefits of auctioneer competition: Merging auctions and adding auctioneers," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-038, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    13. Stanton Hudja & Daniel Woods, 2024. "Exploration versus exploitation: A laboratory test of the single‐agent exponential bandit model," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(1), pages 267-286, January.
    14. Ruth Beer & Ignacio Rios & Daniela Saban, 2021. "Increased Transparency in Procurement: The Role of Peer Effects," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(12), pages 7511-7534, December.
    15. March, Christoph, 2021. "Strategic interactions between humans and artificial intelligence: Lessons from experiments with computer players," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    16. Priyodorshi Banerjee & Shashwat Khare & P. Srikant, 2018. "Learning to Set the Reserve Price Optimally in Laboratory First Price Auctions," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-16, October.
    17. Meng Li & Yan Liu, 2022. "Managerial Regret and Inventory Pricing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(6), pages 4398-4414, June.
    18. Andrew M. Davis & Elena Katok & Anthony M. Kwasnica, 2014. "Should Sellers Prefer Auctions? A Laboratory Comparison of Auctions and Sequential Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(4), pages 990-1008, April.
    19. Kevin Yili Hong & Alex Chong Wang & Paul A. Pavlou, 2013. "How does Bid Visibility Matter in Buyer-Determined Auctions? Comparing Open and Sealed Bid Auctions in Online Labor Markets," Working Papers 13-05, NET Institute.

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