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Bid Coordination in Sponsored Search Auctions: Detection Methodology and Empirical Analysis

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  • Decarolis, Francesco
  • Goldmanis, Maris
  • Penta, Antonio
  • Shakhgildyan, Ksenia

Abstract

Bid delegation to specialized intermediaries is common in the auction systems used to sell internet advertising. When the same intermediary concentrates the demand for ad space from competing advertisers, its incentive to coordinate client bids might alter the functioning of the auctions. This study develops a methodology to detect bid coordination, and presents a strategy to estimate a bound on the search engine revenue losses imposed by coordination relative to a counterfactual benchmark of competitive bidding. Using proprietary data from auctions held on a major search engine, coordination is detected in 55 percent of the cases of delegated bidding that we observed, and the associated upper bound on the search engine’s revenue loss ranges between 5.3 and 10.4 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Decarolis, Francesco & Goldmanis, Maris & Penta, Antonio & Shakhgildyan, Ksenia, 2021. "Bid Coordination in Sponsored Search Auctions: Detection Methodology and Empirical Analysis," TSE Working Papers 21-1273, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    • Handle: RePEc:tse:wpaper:126199
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Francesco Decarolis & Gabriele Rovigatti, 2021. "From Mad Men to Maths Men: Concentration and Buyer Power in Online Advertising," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(10), pages 3299-3327, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Online Advertising; Sponsored Search Auctions; Delegation; Common Agency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce

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