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Testing Willingness to Pay Elicitation Mechanisms in the Field: Evidence from Uganda

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  • de Quidt, Jonathan
  • Burchardi, Konrad
  • Gulesci, Selim
  • Lerva, Benedetta
  • Tripodi, Stefano

Abstract

Researchers frequently use variants of the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) mechanism to elicit willingness to pay (WTP). These variants involve numerous incentive-irrelevant design choices, some of which carry advantages for implementation but may deteriorate participant comprehension or trust in the mechanism, which are well-known problems with the BDM. We highlight three such features and test them in the field in rural Uganda, a relevant population for many recent applications. Comprehension is very high, and 86 percent of participants bid optimally for an induced-value voucher, with little variation across treatments. This gives confidence for similar applications, and suggests the comprehension-expediency trade-off is mild.

Suggested Citation

  • de Quidt, Jonathan & Burchardi, Konrad & Gulesci, Selim & Lerva, Benedetta & Tripodi, Stefano, 2021. "Testing Willingness to Pay Elicitation Mechanisms in the Field: Evidence from Uganda," CEPR Discussion Papers 15809, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:15809
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    3. Michael Grimm & Renate Hartwig, 2022. "All eyes on the price: An assessment of the willingness‐to‐pay for eyeglasses in rural Burkina Faso," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(7), pages 1347-1367, July.
    4. Diekert, Florian & Eymess, Tillmann & Goeschl, Timo & Gómez-Cardona, Santiago & Luomba, Joseph, 2022. "Subsidizing Compliance: A Multi-Unit Price List Mechanism for Legal Fishing Nets at Lake Victoria," Working Papers 0711, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    5. Jack, B. Kelsey & McDermott, Kathryn & Sautmann, Anja, 2022. "Multiple price lists for willingness to pay elicitation," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Leonardo Bursztyn, 2023. "When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 260, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    7. Michelle Acampora & Francesco Capozza & Vahid Moghani, 2022. "Mental Health Literacy, Beliefs and Demand for Mental Health Support among University Students," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-079/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    8. Leonardo Bursztyn & Benjamin R. Handel & Rafael Jimenez & Christopher Roth, 2023. "When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media," NBER Working Papers 31771, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Carolyn Predmore & Kudret Topyan & Lauren Trabold Apadula, 2021. "Impact of Process Misconception in Becker-DeGroot-Marschak Single Response Value Elicitation Procedures: An Experimental Investigation in Consumer Behavior Using the IKEA Effect," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-13, November.
    10. Burchardi, Konrad & de Quidt, Jonathan & Gulesci, Selim & Sulaiman, Munshi, 2021. "Credit Constraints and Demand for Remedial Education: Evidence from Tanzania," CEPR Discussion Papers 15862, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Maximilian Spath, 2023. "The qualitative accuracy of the Becker-DeGroot-Marshak method," Papers 2302.04055, arXiv.org.
    12. D’Amato, Alessio & Goeschl, Timo & Lorè, Luisa & Zoli, Mariangela, 2023. "True to type? EU-style date marking and the valuation of perishable food," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    13. Uttam Paudel & Shiva Raj Adhikari & Krishna Prasad Pant, 2023. "Willingness to Pay for Environmental Quality Improvement Programs and Its Determinants: Empirical Analysis in Western Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-20, January.
    14. Dor Morag & George Loewenstein, 2023. "Narratives and Valuations," CESifo Working Paper Series 10714, CESifo.
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    16. Randriamaro, Mary Tiana & Cook, Joseph, 2022. "The value of time, with and without a smartphone," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 138-146.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Willingness to pay; Becker-degroot-marschak; Field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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