Abstract:
Despite a substantial literature on authentication mechanisms for online transactions, the impact of intra-transaction information disclosure through question and answer (Q&A) processes has not been explored much. In this paper, we report on the empirical analysis of a large online auction site that supports Q&A processes for buyers and sellers. Our analysis shows that these Q&A processes are significant determinants of auction success. This study provides valuable insights for auction operators in terms of effective online auction mechanism design.