Online Fund-Raising Mechanisms: A Field Experiment
(Download full paper)Filed under research category: Information application design
Tagged as: online_fund_raising field_experiment VCM public_goods incentive-centered_design
Authors
Yan Chen, Xin Li, and Jeffrey K. MacKie-Mason
Publication date
January, 2006
Abstract
We implemented one of the first web-based online field experiments of fund-raising. We embedded our experiment in the Internet Public Library to test comparatively four mechanisms: Voluntary Contribution (VCM), Premium, Seed Money and Matching. The Premium and Matching mechanisms each generate higher contribution rate than VCM, while the gift size is not significantly different across mechanisms. Because this is one of the earliest embedded, web-based field experiments we report our methodology findings in some detail. Using pop-up windows and asking for non-privacy-invasive geographic information were ineffective as participant assignment techniques. Evidence of desire to donate inferred from participant clickstream data is a poor predictor of actual giving.
Citation
Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy.vol. 5, no. 2.