Metrics for managing online procurement auctions

Metrics can improve firms' ability to manage online procurement auctions. A key factor in business-to-business procurement auctions is supplier participation, which we modeled as a multistage process. We analyzed data collected from thousands of auctions conducted by a large multinational firm and found that different auction types lead to different participation and success dynamics. Typically, it is important to invite a sufficient number of suppliers and ensure that they accept the invitation and actually log into the auction. It is even more important to encourage active bidding and reduce the proportion of suppliers who log in but never bid.