To be(tween) or not to be(tween)? Mixed-subject designs in preference elicitation
Abstract
This study examines consumer preferences for organic and local apples by combining between- and within-subject design characteristics in a second price auction. Our empirical application combines provision of information regarding local and organic attributes of apples with a tasting stage. We find that a design that combines between and within-subject elements extemdash a mixed-subject design extemdash results in less noisy willingness-to-pay estimates as well as allows us to uncover significant heterogeneity in elicited premiums that would have been masked if we had drawn inferences from the between-subject or the within-subject treatments in isolation. Results highlight the gains that can be achieved by using a mixed-subject design in experimental auctions.
Andreas C. Drichoutis
Professor of Consumer Behavior
His research interests are focused on decision making across a broad spectrum of topics pertinent to agricultural/food economics. His contributions are notably diversified spanning the area of contingent valuation and experimental auctions methods, choice under risk, inter-temporal decision making and applied demand analysis. Most of his research applies experimental economics methods to answer questions relevant to agricultural economists and decision scientists.