Robust Bidding in First-Price Auctions: How to Bid Without Knowing What Others Are Doing

Author(s)
Bernhard Kasberger, Karl Schlag
Abstract

We propose how to bid in first-price auctions when a bidder knows the own value but not how others will bid. To do this, we introduce a methodology to show how to make choices in strategic settings without assuming common knowledge or equilibrium behavior. Accordingly, we first eliminate environments that are believed not to occur and then find a robust rule that performs well in the remaining environments. We test our bids using data from laboratory experiments and the field and find that our bids outperform those made by real bidders.

Organisation(s)
Department of Economics
External organisation(s)
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Journal
Management Science
Volume
70
Pages
4219-4235
No. of pages
17
ISSN
0025-1909
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4899
Publication date
08-2023
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
502047 Economic theory
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Strategy and Management, Management Science and Operations Research
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/2076489c-86f0-49db-a700-9e53c7f2639f