Purpose – This paper aims to study how buyers’ gender and risk proclivity, and the time remaining in an internet auction, influence whether buyers buy at fixed prices or bid. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a simulated internet auction. Participants choose between bidding in an auction and buying at a fixed price. Data are analyzed using a logistic regression model. The results from the laboratory study are validated with data from eBay.com. Findings – Female participants’ odds of choosing the buy-it-now (BIN) option are higher than their odds of bidding in an auction (BID) when less time is remaining in an auction. Contrarily, for males, when less time is remaining, BID is preferred over BIN.