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Experimental internet auctions with random information retrieval

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  • Doron Sonsino
  • Radosveta Ivanova-Stenzel

Abstract

We run an experiment where 97 subjects could retrieve records of completed past auctions before placing their bids in current one-bid, two-bid, and auction-selection games. Each subject was asked to participate in 3 current auctions; but could retrieve up to 60 records of completed (past) auctions. The results reveal a positive relation between the payoffs earned by the subjects and their history-inspection effort. Subjects act as if responding to the average bidding-ratios of the winners in the samples that they have retrieved. They apply intuitive signal-dependent stopping rules like “sample until observing a winner-value close to my won” or “find a close winner-value and try one more history” when sampling the databases. History-inspection directs bidders with relatively high private-valuations to moderate bidding which increases their realized payoffs. (JEL C9 D4 D8) Copyright Economic Science Association 2006

Suggested Citation

  • Doron Sonsino & Radosveta Ivanova-Stenzel, 2006. "Experimental internet auctions with random information retrieval," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 9(4), pages 323-341, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:expeco:v:9:y:2006:i:4:p:323-341
    DOI: 10.1007/s10683-006-7050-y
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internet-auctions; observational learning; sampling rules; experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D4 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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