Empirics of Online Markets

In this course we cover current research on data-driven approaches to the market design of online platforms. We cover diverse topics such as search, matching, demand estimation, learning under strategic behavior, and pricing. We will do so in the context of different application domains such as rentals, sharing, e-commerce, and advertising. The course is eclectic in terms of approaches, using reduced-form and structural econometrics, machine learning, and experimentation. The course mostly consists of recent papers presented by the instructor, guests, and students. Some background knowledge required to understand current work is provided as needed.