Abstract:
This paper examines gender differences of customer behaviour in online “buy-it-now” (BIN)
auctions. The aim of the research was to assess whether there is a relation between customer
experience and the choice of the type of BIN auction (highlighted vs. ordinary) with the use of such
demographics like gender as well as the relation between a gender and the selected characteristics of
online auction. These include product description, retailer’s credibility, the quality of product
picture, the way auction title is written, costs of an offer as well as the herd effect. In Poland online
auctions are becoming more and more popular form of buying. Customers deciding to buy online
expect more than instant information about the seller and his offer. They also find the content and the
form of offer’s presentation on the site important. This is the reason why nowadays creating clear
and simple sites containing clear and attractively presented information about the sellers’ offer
determines purchase. Thus, the rapid development of online auctions calls for a better understanding
of potential gender differences in online auction purchasing patterns. The research enabled to
understand if online marketing managers could still affect consumers’ decisions in online auctions
and how they should allocate marketing resources to become more effective. To achieve these goals
a field (natural) experiment was chosen as the investigative empirical method. Our research used
transactions data from Allegro platform (the most powerful auction platform in Poland), from the
retailer who is a professional online auction seller of pouch for mobile phones. Specific data were
collected for each buyer, such as the gender of the buyer, the experience as far as auction buying is
concerned and the number of products bought. Also, data regarding determiners of customer
behaviour in online auctions in terms of a gender were collected. We found that there is a significant
relation between the gender and customer experience as well as the choice of the type of auction.
Our evidence suggests that males are more often prone to the effect of herd behaviour. Furthermore
it had been proved that gender does not mediate the influence of product description, retailer’s
credibility, the quality of product picture, the way auction title is written as well as costs of an offer
on the purchasing process in online auctions.
