Understanding Overbidding in Second Price Auctions

Understanding Overbidding in Second Price Auctions PDF Author: David J. Cooper
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This paper presents results from a series of second price private value auction (SPA) experiments in which bidders are either given for free, or are allowed to purchase, noisy signals about their opponents' value. Even though theoretically such information about opponents' value has no strategic use in the SPA, it provides us with a convenient instrument to change bidders' perception about the "strength" (i.e., the value) of their opponent. We argue that the empirical relationship between the incidence and magnitude of overbidding and bidders' perception of the strength of their opponent provides the key to understand whether overbidding in second price auctions are driven by "spite" motives or by the "joy of winning." The experimental data show that bidders are much more likely to overbid, though less likely to submit large overbid, when they perceive their rivals to have similar values as their own. We argue that this empirical relationship is more consistent with a modified "joy of winning" hypothesis than with the "spite" hypothesis. However, neither of the non-standard preference explanations are able to fully explain all aspects of the experimental data, and we argue for the important role of bounded rationality. We also find that bidder heterogeneity plays an important role in explaining their bidding behavior.

The Bidder's Curse

The Bidder's Curse PDF Author: Young Han Lee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Auctions
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description
Traditional explanations for the popularity of auctions are efficiency and revenue maximization. We argue that auctions also induce 'overbidding, ' i.e., bidding above the buyer's willingness to pay for an item outside the auction. Even if only few buyers overbid, they affect prices and allocations since auctions systematically pick those buyers as winners. We employ a novel approach to identify overbidding, using hand-collected data of eBay auctions with simultaneous fixed prices. We argue that fixed prices for identical items on the same webpage should provide an upper bound for bidders' willingness to pay in the auctions. In a first, detailed data set of board game auctions, we find that, in 42 percent of the auctions, the final price is higher than the simultaneous fixed price. The result is not explained by differences in item quality, shipping costs, or seller reputation. Auction experience, as measured by eBay's feedback score, does not eliminate overbidding. We also document that the large fraction of overbidding is induced by a small number of players: only 17 percent of bidders ever bid above the fixed price. The finding replicates in a broad cross-section of auctions (48 percent overbidding). Using a simple model of second-price auctions with a fixed price option, we show that transaction costs of switching between auctions and fixed prices are not sufficient to explain the results. Limited attention of bidders and utility of winning both contribute to explaining the empirical findings.

Spite Vs. Risk

Spite Vs. Risk PDF Author: Oliver Kirchkamp
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
In this paper we use an experiment to compare a theory of risk aversion and a theory of spite as an explanation for overbidding in auctions. As a workhorse we use the second-price all-pay and the first-price winner-pay auction. Both risk and spite can be used to rationalize deviations from risk neutral equilibrium bids in auctions. We exploit that equilibrium predictions in the second-price all-pay auctions for spiteful preferences are different than those for risk averse preferences. Indeed, we find that spite is a more convincing explanation for bidding behavior for the second-price all-pay auction. Not only can spite rationalize observed bids, also our measure for spite is consistent with observed bids.

Understanding Auctions

Understanding Auctions PDF Author: Srobonti Chattopadhyay
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351271075
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description
The book elaborates the basic principles of Auction Theory in a non-technical language so as to make them easily accessible to even those not trained in the discipline. Auctions as allocation mechanisms have been in use across the world since antiquity and are still employed in different countries for purchase and sales of a wide range of objects, both by governments and by private agents. Auction has gained popularity over other allocation mechanisms since the rules of auctions are very precise, involve much less subjective judgements compared to other alternative allocation mechanisms and lead to a more efficient process of discovering the true willingness of the buyers to pay. Moreover, the principles of Auction Theory are used in other contexts, for example in designing contests, or in controlling emission levels through allocation of permits and licenses.

First-Price and Second-Price Auctions with Externalities

First-Price and Second-Price Auctions with Externalities PDF Author: Chulyoung Kim
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
We consider a scenario where a single indivisible object is auctioned off to three bidders and among the three bidders there is one bidder whose winning imposes a positive or negative externality on the other two bidders. We theoretically and experimentally compare two standard sealed-bid auction formats, first-price and second-price auctions, under complete information. Using a refinement of undominated Nash equilibria, we analyze equilibrium bids and outcomes in the two auction formats. Our experimental results show that overbidding relative to equilibrium bids is prevalent, especially in second-price auctions, and this leads to higher revenue and lower efficiency in second- price auctions than in first-price auctions, especially under negative externalities. Our results are consistent with previous experimental findings that bidders tend to overbid more in second-price auctions than in first-price auctions, and they suggest that such a tendency is robust to the introduction of externalities.

The Handbook of Experimental Economics

The Handbook of Experimental Economics PDF Author: John H. Kagel
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400883172
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 776

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Book Description
An indispensable survey of new developments and results in experimental economics When The Handbook of Experimental Economics first came out in 1995, the notion of economists conducting lab experiments to generate data was relatively new. Since then, the field has exploded. This second volume of the Handbook covers some of the most exciting new growth areas in experimental economics, presents the latest results and experimental methods, and identifies promising new directions for future research. Featuring contributions by leading practitioners, the Handbook describes experiments in macroeconomics, charitable giving, neuroeconomics, other-regarding preferences, market design, political economy, subject population effects, gender effects, auctions, and learning and the economics of small decisions. Contributors focus on key developments and report on experiments, highlighting the dialogue between experimenters and theorists. While most of the experiments consist of laboratory studies, the book also includes several chapters that report extensively on field experiments related to the subject area studied. Covers exciting new growth areas in experimental economics Features contributions by leading experts Describes experiments in macroeconomics, charitable giving, neuroeconomics, market design, political economy, gender effects, auctions, and more Highlights the dialogue by experimenters with theorists and each other Includes several chapters covering field experiments related to the subject area studied

Another Explanation for Overbidding and Another Bias for Underbidding in First-price Auctions

Another Explanation for Overbidding and Another Bias for Underbidding in First-price Auctions PDF Author: Oliver Kirchkamp
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Auctions
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Book Description


Reference Dependent Preferences and Overbidding in Private and Common Value Auctions

Reference Dependent Preferences and Overbidding in Private and Common Value Auctions PDF Author: Mariano Runco
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This paper proposes a tractable model of reference dependent preferences to explain overbidding in private and common value auctions. It is assumed that the reference point is proportional to the value of the object and that losses are weighed more heavily than gains in the utility function. Equilibrium bidding strategies are derived for first- and second-price private and common value auctions. It is found that this model fits the data of all experiments analyzed better than a standard risk neutral model; moreover, it explains overbidding in private value auctions better than other alternatives. These results suggest that reference dependence, among other factors, might play a role in the widespread tendency of subjects to overbid in most experimental auctions.

Networks, Crowds, and Markets

Networks, Crowds, and Markets PDF Author: David Easley
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139490303
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 745

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Book Description
Are all film stars linked to Kevin Bacon? Why do the stock markets rise and fall sharply on the strength of a vague rumour? How does gossip spread so quickly? Are we all related through six degrees of separation? There is a growing awareness of the complex networks that pervade modern society. We see them in the rapid growth of the internet, the ease of global communication, the swift spread of news and information, and in the way epidemics and financial crises develop with startling speed and intensity. This introductory book on the new science of networks takes an interdisciplinary approach, using economics, sociology, computing, information science and applied mathematics to address fundamental questions about the links that connect us, and the ways that our decisions can have consequences for others.

Auctions with Anticipated Emotions

Auctions with Anticipated Emotions PDF Author: Andreas Roider
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The experimental literature has documented that there is overbidding in second-price auctions, regardless of the valuations of bidders. In contrast, in first-price auctions, there tends to be overbidding for large valuations, but underbidding for small valuations. We show that the experimental evidence can be rationalized by a simple extension of the standard auction model, where bidders anticipate (constant) positive or negative emotions caused by the mere fact of winning or losing. Even if the emotional (dis-)utilities are very small, the revenue-maximizing reserve price might be significantly different from the standard model. Moreover, decreases with the number of bidders.