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The Effect of Alternative e-Prices on eBay Book Auctions

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  • Jannett Highfill
  • Kevin O’Brien

Abstract

This paper uses the usual eBay auction variables and some data from ABE and Amazon, namely, lot size and the alternative e-price, the lowest price for a given book on a given site, to examine in the question of how information from ABE and Amazon affects eBay auction outcomes. We find that although lot-size sometimes affects bids and final sale price, the alternative e-price effects are more important. Sellers on eBay set their minimum prices below the alternative e-prices, but the closer the minimum price is set to the alternative e-price, the lower the final sale price. Decomposing this result into bidding versus final sale price per se effects, our evidence suggests that the primary comparison shopping effect is on bidding behavior. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2009

Suggested Citation

  • Jannett Highfill & Kevin O’Brien, 2009. "The Effect of Alternative e-Prices on eBay Book Auctions," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 37(4), pages 383-395, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:37:y:2009:i:4:p:383-395
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-009-9179-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jannett Highfill & Kevin O’Brien, 2007. "Bidding and prices for online art auctions: sofa art or investment," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 31(4), pages 279-292, December.
    2. Adams, Christopher P., 2007. "Estimating demand from eBay prices," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 1213-1232, December.
    3. Stephanie Rosenkranz & Patrick W. Schmitz, 2007. "Reserve Prices in Auctions as Reference Points," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(520), pages 637-653, April.
    4. Alvin E. Roth & Axel Ockenfels, 2002. "Last-Minute Bidding and the Rules for Ending Second-Price Auctions: Evidence from eBay and Amazon Auctions on the Internet," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 1093-1103, September.
    5. Ladislav Wintr, 2008. "Some Evidence On Late Bidding In Ebay Auctions," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 46(3), pages 369-379, July.
    6. David Lucking‐Reiley & Doug Bryan & Naghi Prasad & Daniel Reeves, 2007. "Pennies From Ebay: The Determinants Of Price In Online Auctions," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(2), pages 223-233, June.
    7. Utpal M. Dholakia & Itamar Simonson, 2005. "The Effect of Explicit Reference Points on Consumer Choice and Online Bidding Behavior," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(2), pages 206-217, October.
    8. 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.
    9. Thomas Andrews & Cynthia Benzing, 2007. "The Determinants of Price in Internet Auctions of Used Cars," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 35(1), pages 43-57, March.
    10. Kamins, Michael A & Dreze, Xavier & Folkes, Valerie S, 2004. "Effects of Seller-Supplied Prices on Buyers' Product Evaluations: Reference Prices in an Internet Auction Context," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 30(4), pages 622-628, March.
    11. Amar Cheema, 2008. "Surcharges and Seller Reputation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(1), pages 167-177, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jen-Ming Chen & Hung-Liang Cheng, 2012. "Effect of the price-dependent revenue-sharing mechanism in a decentralized supply chain," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 20(2), pages 299-317, June.
    2. J-M Chen & H-L Cheng & I-C Lin, 2011. "On channel coordination under price-dependent revenue-sharing: can eBay's fee structure coordinate the channel?," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(11), pages 1992-2001, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Auctions; eCommerce; D44; L81;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce

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