Bid pooling in reverse multi-unit Dutch auctions: an experimental investigation

In this article we experimentally investigate reverse multi-unit Dutch auctions in which bidders compete to sell their single unit to a buyer who wants to purchase several objects. Our study yields three insights: (i) bids are substantially higher than Nash equilibrium bids predicted by standard economic theory; (ii) these higher-than-predicted prices gradually decline in later periods; and (iii) bid pooling (or simultaneous bidding) is frequently observed—the majority of bidders submit their bids immediately after the first bidder has sold his unit. A model that distinguishes between myopic and sophisticated bidding strategies helps to organize these patterns both on the aggregate and on the individual level.

Gillen, Philippe, Alexander Rasch, Achim Wambach and Peter Werner (2016), Bid pooling in reverse multi-unit Dutch auctions: an experimental investigation, Theory and Decision