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Reserve Prices in Internet Advertising Auctions: A Field Experiment

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  • Michael Ostrovsky
  • Michael Schwarz

Abstract

We present the results of a large field experiment on setting reserve prices in auctions for online advertisements, guided by the theory of optimal auction design suitably adapted to the sponsored search setting. Consistent with the theory, revenues increased substantially after the new reserve prices were introduced.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Ostrovsky & Michael Schwarz, 2023. "Reserve Prices in Internet Advertising Auctions: A Field Experiment," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(12), pages 3352-3376.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/725702
    DOI: 10.1086/725702
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    Cited by:

    1. Oriana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2011. "Field Experiments with Firms," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 25(3), pages 63-82, Summer.
    2. Syngjoo Choi & Lars Nesheim & Imran Rasul, 2010. "Reserve price effects in auctions: estimates from multiple RD designs," CeMMAP working papers CWP30/10, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Ali Hortaçsu & Eric R. Nielsen, 2010. "Commentary--Do Bids Equal Values on eBay?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(6), pages 994-997, 11-12.
    4. L. Elisa Celis & Gregory Lewis & Markus Mobius & Hamid Nazerzadeh, 2014. "Buy-It-Now or Take-a-Chance: Price Discrimination Through Randomized Auctions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(12), pages 2927-2948, December.
    5. Michael Scholz & Markus Franz & Oliver Hinz, 2016. "The Ambiguous Identifier Clustering Technique," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 26(2), pages 143-156, May.
    6. J. Levin & L. Einav, 2012. "Empirical Industrial Organization: A Progress Report," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 1.
    7. McLaughlin, Kevin & Friedman, Daniel, 2016. "Online ad auctions: An experiment," Discussion Papers, Research Professorship Market Design: Theory and Pragmatics SP II 2016-501, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    8. Christopher T. Conlon & Julie Holland Mortimer, 2013. "Demand Estimation under Incomplete Product Availability," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 1-30, November.
    9. Henk Kox & Bas Straathof & Gijsbert Zwart, 2017. "Targeted advertising, platform competition, and privacy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 557-570, September.
    10. Henk Kox & Bas Straathof & Gijsbert Zwart, 2017. "Targeted advertising, platform competition, and privacy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 557-570, September.
    11. Yash Kanoria & Hamid Nazerzadeh, 2021. "Incentive-Compatible Learning of Reserve Prices for Repeated Auctions," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 69(2), pages 509-524, March.
    12. Garrett T. Senney & Jonathan R. Lhost, 2024. "Balancing Attraction and Risk Revelation: The Optimal Reservation Price in Peer-to-Peer Loan Auctions," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 64(2), pages 289-314, March.
    13. Смирнов А.С., 2015. "Рынки Контекстной Рекламы: Подходы И Теоретические Модели," Журнал Экономика и математические методы (ЭММ), Центральный Экономико-Математический Институт (ЦЭМИ), vol. 51(4), pages 14-24, октябрь.
    14. Christopher T. Conlon & Julie Holland Mortimer, 2010. "Effects of Product Availability: Experimental Evidence," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 798, Boston College Department of Economics.
    15. L. Elisa Celis & Gregory Lewis & Markus Mobius & Hamid Nazerzadeh, 2011. "Buy-it-now or Take-a-chance: A New Pricing Mechanism for Online Advertising," Working Papers 11-21, NET Institute, revised Nov 2011.
    16. Anna D’Annunzio & Antonio Russo, 2024. "Intermediaries in the Online Advertising Market," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(1), pages 33-53, January.
    17. Hummel, Patrick, 2016. "Position auctions with dynamic resizing," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 38-46.
    18. Syngjoo Choi & Lars Nesheim & Imran Rasul, 2016. "Reserve Price Effects In Auctions: Estimates From Multiple Regression-Discontinuity Designs," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(1), pages 294-314, January.
    19. Jonathan Levin, 2011. "The Economics of Internet Markets," Discussion Papers 10-018, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
    20. Cheng, Harrison, 2015. "Participation and exclusion in auctions," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 77-80.
    21. M. Yenmez, 2014. "Pricing in position auctions and online advertising," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 55(1), pages 243-256, January.
    22. Yash Kanoria & Hamid Nazerzadeh, 2020. "Dynamic Reserve Prices for Repeated Auctions: Learning from Bids," Papers 2002.07331, arXiv.org.
    23. Eric Bax, 2020. "Heavy Tails Make Happy Buyers," Papers 2002.09014, arXiv.org.
    24. Che, Yeon-Koo & Choi, Syngjoo & Kim, Jinwoo, 2017. "An experimental study of sponsored-search auctions," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 20-43.

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