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Repeated use of online auctions: investigating individual seller motivations

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Abstract

Online auctions, connecting sellers and buyers on the Internet, are a specific type of eMarketplaces. eMarketplaces rely on repeat business in order to build scale, yet little is known about the drivers of repeated use by sellers. Based on an empirical investigation of individual, private sellers, this paper identifies the determinants of their repeated use of online auctions. It demonstrates that repeated use is driven by expectancy concerning performance and effort and by the facilitating conditions provided by auction sites. However, repeated use of online auctions is neither directly motivated by social influences, nor is it moderated by sellers’ demographics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business, Media and Technology Management, University of Cologne, Pohligstr. 1, 50969, Koeln, Germany

    Claudia Loebbecke & Thomas Weiss

  2. Birbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HX, UK

    Philip Powell

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  1. Claudia Loebbecke
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Correspondence to Claudia Loebbecke.

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Responsible editor: Martin Spann.

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Loebbecke, C., Powell, P. & Weiss, T. Repeated use of online auctions: investigating individual seller motivations. Electron Markets 20, 105–117 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-010-0035-x

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