Research Article
Hedonic Price Analysis of Used Tractors
Ryan Feuz
Utah State University
JEL Codes: A22, A23, D12, Q13
Keywords: Hedonic regression, misspecification, ordinary least squares, tractor prices
Publish Date: December 20, 2022
Volume 5, Issue 1
View Full Article (PDF) | Request Teaching Notes/Supplemental Materials
Abstract
This case follows Nate Shepard, a fictionalized data analyst for John Deere, as he is tasked with finding a suitable method for predicting used tractor prices. Nate uses hedonic price theory to specify and
estimate a regression equation that can be used to evaluate marginal values of specific tractor attributes and predict out-of-sample tractor prices. Beyond price prediction, Nate must also consider the
inflationary environment the used tractor market has been experiencing of late in his regression
specification as well as compare the John Deere brand to rival manufacturers. The case allows readers
to go along with Nate in the journey as he completes the process of data collection and cleaning, initial
model specification based on relevant literature and theory, model estimation, evaluation of the model
for misspecification issues, model revision and re-estimation, and model interpretation and use. The case
provides an excellent example of empirical regression analysis in an agribusiness setting and gives
readers an opportunity to familiarize themselves with hedonic price theory using a data set of actual
used tractor auction results from 2020–2022.
References
Berck, P. 1985. “A Note on the Real Cost of Tractors in the 1920s and 1930s.” Agricultural History 59(1):66–71.
Court, A.T. 1939. “Hedonic Price Indexes with Automotive Examples.” The Dynamics of Automobile Demand. New York: General Motors.
Deaux, J. 2021. “Wild Bidding Wars Erupt at Used-Tractor Auctions Across the U.S.” Bloomberg, November 13.
Diekmann, F., B.E. Roe, and M.T. Batte. 2008. “Tractors on eBay: Differences between Internet and In-Person Auctions.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 90:306–320.
Fettig, L.P. 1963. “Adjusting Farm Tractor Prices for Quality Changes, 1950–1962.” Journal of Farm Economics 45(3):599–611.
Goodman, A.C. 1998. “Andrew Court and the Invention of Hedonic Price Analysis.” Journal of Urban Economics 44(2):291–298.
Head, M.L., L. Holman, R. Lanfear, A.T. Kahn, and M.D. Jennions. 2015. “The Extent and Consequences of P-Hacking in Science.” PLOS Biology 13(3):e1002106.
John Deere. 2021. “Deere Reports Net Income of $1.283 Billion for Fourth Quarter, $5.963 Billion for Fiscal Year [Press release].” https://www.deere.com/en/news/all-news/fy21-fourth-quarter-earnings/.
Kaufman, R.L. 2013. “Heteroskedasticity in Regression: Detection and Correction.” SAGE Publications, Inc.
Lancaster, K.J. 1966. “A New Approach to Consumer Theory.” Journal of Political Economy 74:132–157.
Microsoft Corporation. 2018. Microsoft Excel. https://office.microsoft.com/excel.
Rosen, S. 1974. “Hedonic Prices and Implicit Markets: Product Differentiation in Pure Competition.” Journal of Political Economy 82(1):34–55.
Tita, B. 2021. “Deere’s Strike Is Over, but Order Backlog, Higher Costs Remain.” Wall Street Journal, November 22.
Tractor Junction. 2022. “Top 10 Tractor Companies in the World—Tractor List 2022,” May 7. https://www.tractorjunction.com/blog/top-10-tractor-companies-in-the-world-tractor-list/.
Articles in this issue
An Evaluation of Undergraduate Student Diversity Experiences in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University
Lonnie Hobbs, Jr., Zelia Z. Wiley, Raymond Thomas, Summer Santillana, Andrew Barkley
Recommendations for Contextualizing and Facilitating Class Conversations about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Social Justice
Donald A. Saucier, Noah D. Renken, Ashley A. Schiffer, and Tucker L. Jones
Implementing Theory-Based Mentoring and Experiential Learning to Ease Undergraduate Multicultural Scholarship Recipients Transition from Community Colleges to a Large Research Institution
Jaclyn D. Kropp and Danielle Shu
Impacts of Teaching Modality on U.S. COVID-19 Spread in Fall 2020 Semester
Syed Badruddoza and Modhurima Dey Amin
Milner Ranch: Is the Grass Greener in Processing?
Hwangwon Lee, Tanner McCarty, Anastasia Thayer, and Ryan Larsen