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Structural Analysis of First-Price Auction Data: Insights from the Laboratory

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  • Paul Pezanis-Christou

    (School of Economics, University of Adelaide)

  • Andrés Romeu

    (Fundamentos del Analisis Economico, Universidad de Murcia)

Abstract

We use laboratory data from first-price auctions and manipulate the quantity and the quality of information available to assess the robustness of structural inferences (i.e., estimates, revenue predictions and optimal reserve price recommendations). We show that the latter are sensitive to the quantity of information when quality is low such as in field settings, and that improving quality in such settings dampens the effect of quantity and unveils out-of-equilibrium bidding patterns. Yet, a counterfactual analysis of the seller's revenues and optimal reserve prices indicates that behavior is best explained by the usual Nash equilibrium model with either risk aversion or a power form of probability misperception. When the information available is of the highest quality, as in laboratory settings, this model is typically rejected because of a nonlinear bidding behavior. We consider two rationales for such behavior and find that they leave revenue predictions and optimal price recommendations hardly affected.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Pezanis-Christou & Andrés Romeu, 2018. "Structural Analysis of First-Price Auction Data: Insights from the Laboratory," School of Economics and Public Policy Working Papers 2018-08, University of Adelaide, School of Economics and Public Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:adl:wpaper:2018-08
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Antonio Merlo & Thomas R. Palfrey, 2018. "External validation of voter turnout models by concealed parameter recovery," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 297-314, July.
    2. Paul Pezanis-Christou & Hang Wu, 2017. "A Naïve Approach to Bidding," School of Economics and Public Policy Working Papers 2017-03, University of Adelaide, School of Economics and Public Policy.
    3. Paul Pezanis-Christou & Hang Wu, 2018. "A non-game-theoretic approach to bidding in first-price and all-pay auctions," School of Economics and Public Policy Working Papers 2018-12, University of Adelaide, School of Economics and Public Policy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    first-price sealed bid auctions; structural econometrics of auctions; constant relative risk aversion; probability misperception; expected revenue predictions; optimal reserve prices; experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D47 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Market Design
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance

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