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Price formation in a sequential selling mechanism

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  • Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta
  • Kröger, Sabine

Abstract

This paper analyzes the trade of an indivisible good within a two-stage mechanism, where a seller first negotiates with one potential buyer about the price of the good. If the negotiation fails to produce a sale, a second–price sealed–bid auction with an additional buyer is conducted. The theoretical model predicts that with risk neutral agents all sales take place in the auction rendering the negotiation prior to the auction obsolete. An experimental test of the model provides evidence that average prices and profits are quite precisely predicted by the theoretical benchmark. However, a significant large amount of sales occurs already during the negotiation stage. We show that risk preferences can theoretically account for the existence of sales during the negotiation stage, improve the fit for buyers’ behavior, but is not sufficient to explain sellers’ decisions. We discuss other behavioral explanations that could account for the observed deviations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2005. "Price formation in a sequential selling mechanism," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 92, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:trf:wpaper:92
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Björn Bartling & Tobias Gesche & Nick Netzer, 2017. "Does the absence of human sellers bias bidding behavior in auction experiments?," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 3(1), pages 44-61, July.
    3. Tim Grebe & Radosveta Ivanova-Stenzel & Sabine Kröger, 2009. "Buy-it-Now Prices in eBay Auctions-The Field in the Lab," Cahiers de recherche 0950, CIRPEE.
    4. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2016. "“Buy-It-Now” or “Sell-It-Now” auctions: Effects of changing bargaining power in sequential trading mechanisms," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 27-30.
    5. Toshihiro Tsuchihashi & Tomohisa Okada, 2025. "Buyout decisions of level-k bidders in second-price auctions," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 98(2), pages 225-248, March.
    6. Radosveta Ivanova-Stenzel & Sabine Kröger, 2023. "Risk, Reward and Uncertainty in Buyer-Seller Transactions," CIRANO Working Papers 2023s-13, CIRANO.
    7. Kirkegaard, René & Overgaard, Per Baltzer, 2008. "Pre-auction offers in asymmetric first-price and second-price auctions," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 145-165, May.
    8. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2021. "How do sellers benefit from Buy-It-Now prices in eBay auctions?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 189-205.
    9. Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Grebe, Tim & Kröger, Sabine, 2019. "How do sellers benefit from Buy-It-Now prices in eBay auctions?," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203606, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    10. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2018. "How Do Sellers Benefit From Buy-It-Now Prices in Ebay Auctions? -- an Experimental Investigation," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 97, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    11. Toshihiro Tsuchihashi, 2019. "Mission impossible: Buy price fails to signal information," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(1), pages 431-434.
    12. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2015. ""Buy-It-Now" or "Sell-It-Now" auctions: Effects of changing bargaining power in sequential trading mechanisms," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2015-037, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    13. Grebe, Tim & Ivanova-Stenzel, Radosveta & Kröger, Sabine, 2006. "How eBay Sellers set “Buy-it-now†prices - Bringing The Field Into the Lab," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 181, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    auction; negotiation; combined mechanism; sequential mechanism; risk preferences; experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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