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Demand Reduction and Bidder Collusion in Uniform- and Discriminatory-Price Auctions: An experimental study

Author

Listed:
  • Alexander Elbittar

    (Division of Economics, CIDE)

  • Andrei Gomberg

Abstract

This paper reports results of an experimental study of uniform and discriminatory auctions of multiple objects in an environment of publicly known common values. We find that the bidding behavior in the uniform case exhibits two clear regularities: agents consistently play weakly dominated strategies by overbidding on the first unit and have moderate diffyculty coordinating on high payoff (low auction revenue) equilibria. However, subjects with experience in the same environment are better at reducing demand to achieve higher payoff. Bidders in discriminatory auctions tend to submit bids close to value for all units and are not fully successful in attempts at collusion.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Elbittar & Andrei Gomberg, 2008. "Demand Reduction and Bidder Collusion in Uniform- and Discriminatory-Price Auctions: An experimental study," Working Papers DTE 416, CIDE, División de Economía.
    • Handle: RePEc:emc:wpaper:dte416
    as

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    File URL: http://www.economiamexicana.cide.edu/RePEc/emc/pdf/DTE/DTE416.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Orly Sade & Charles Schnitzlein & Jaime Zender, 2006. "Competition and cooperation in divisible good auctions: An experimental examination," Artefactual Field Experiments 00105, The Field Experiments Website.
    3. Ronald Harstad, 2000. "Dominant Strategy Adoption and Bidders' Experience with Pricing Rules," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 3(3), pages 261-280, December.
    4. Kagel, John H & Levin, Dan, 2001. "Behavior in Multi-unit Demand Auctions: Experiments with Uniform Price and Dynamic Vickrey Auctions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(2), pages 413-454, March.
    5. Kagel, John H & Harstad, Ronald M & Levin, Dan, 1987. "Information Impact and Allocation Rules in Auctions with Affiliated Private Values: A Laboratory Study," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(6), pages 1275-1304, November.
    6. Orly Sade & Charles Schnitzlein & Jaime F. Zender, 2006. "Competition and Cooperation in Divisible Good Auctions: An Experimental Examination," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 19(1), pages 195-235.
    7. Back, Kerry & Zender, Jaime F, 1993. "Auctions of Divisible Goods: On the Rationale for the Treasury Experiment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 6(4), pages 733-764.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Demand Reduction; Bidder Collusion; Uniform-price; discriminatory-price auctions; experimental study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L16 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Industrial Organization and Macroeconomics; Macroeconomic Industrial Structure
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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