基于制造商网络渠道选择的双渠道供应链定价与服务决策研究

Pricing and service strategies of dual-channel supply chain based on manufacturer′s online channel selection

本文考虑由线下零售商实体销售与制造商网络销售构成的网络直销,以及由线下零售商实体销售与线上零售商网络销售构成的网络分销两种制造商双渠道模式,研究“搭便车”行为下制造商模式选择和供应链最优定价与服务决策。研究发现:制造商的渠道选择策略与“搭便车”行为程度、消费者偏好网络渠道程度、价格敏感系数等有关。尤其当消费者受到的服务且对价格的敏感性相同时,制造商会选择网络直销双渠道模式。进一步分析消费者“搭便车”行为和网络渠道偏好对制造商渠道选择和定价决策影响发现,制造商在消费者偏好网络渠道程度比较低时应选择网络分销双渠道模式,而当消费者网络渠道偏好和“搭便车”行为程度都比较高时,制造商应选择网络直销双渠道模式。消费者网络渠道偏好或“搭便车”行为程度越大,两种模式下批发价格应设置的更低。网络直销渠道模式下“搭便车”行为程度越大,网络渠道销售价格应设置的更低,而消费者网络渠道偏好程度越大,网络渠道销售价格应设置得更高。

With the rapid development of the Internet,e-commerce is becoming more and more popular in the retail industry.According to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China,Chinese online retail sales exceeded 9 trillion RMB in 2018 with a 23.9%year-on-year increase.The rapid development of the Internet has dramatically changed the consumption patterns of consumers as well as the sales models of manufacturers and retailers.Over the past two decades,the fast-growing e-commerce market has attracted many manufacturers to sell products through dual-channels structure to meet the needs of different customer groups and to cover inaccessible market segments of single traditional retail channel.For example,many manufacturers such as Dell,IBM,Nike,Hewlett-Packard,Apple,Estee Lauder,not only choose traditional retail channels for selling,but also begin to sell products directly to customers through online channels.However,different manufacturers may have different dual-channel models.On one hand,manufacturers such as Hewlett&Packard,Lenovo,Compaq,Estee Lauder,etc.,sell products through an online direct sales dualchannel model through self-built online channels.On the other hand,other manufacturers may use retailer self-operated platforms like Jingdong Mall,Dangdang and Suningyi,to sell products.Thus,it is an important issue for manufacturers to choose what type of dualchannel supply chain structure to achieve their own profit maximization.Meanwhile,since the products sold by the manufacturer through dual-channel are homogeneous,consumers need to make choices between channels while purchasing.In addition,with the introduction of the manufacturer′s dual-channel strategy,many customers have free riding behavior,that is,after enjoying services such as free trials product presentations and other services in the physical store,then they buy products through online channel.Research shows that up to 20%of consumers in a dual-channel supply chain which consists of traditional channel and online channel have free-riding behavior.Therefore,manufacturers have to consider the free riding behavior of customers when making channel modes choices.As far as we know,the existing researches about manufacturers′dual-channel mainly focus on the necessity and key influence factors of the introduction of manufacturers′online channels.Few scholars have discussed the manufacturer′s choice of channel modes.Meanwhile,few scholars have considered the influence of free riding behavior on manufacturer′s choice of channel modes.Based on this,we studies the dual-channel model selection and pricing decision and service decision under the free riding behavior of consumers.This paper considers two dual-channel models,namely,an online direct selling dual-channel model consisting of offline retailer sales and manufacturer online sales,and an online distribution dual-channel model consisting of offline retailer sales and online retailer online sales.This paper also studies the manufacturer′s channel selection strategy and optimal pricing and service decision of the supply chain,and further discusses the manufacturer′s channel selection and pricing,service strategy from the level of free riding and customers′preference for the online channel.First,we establish manufacturer online direct selling and online distribution dual-channel model,and obtain the manufacturer′s optimal pricing decision and retailer optimal pricing and service decision by reverse derivation method.Then we examine the impact of traditional retailer service levels on manufacturers′dual-channel model selection strategies and pricing and service strategies.Last,through numerical simulation,we analyze the influence of free-riding behavior and the degree of consumer preference for network channel on manufacturer′s channel selection and pricing and service strategy.It is found that the manufacturer′s channel selection strategy is related to the level of free riding and the degree of customers′preference for the online channel,and the coefficient of price sensitivity of the demand.In particular,when consumers receive same service and have same coefficients of price sensitivity in demand,manufacturers will choose the online direct selling dual-channel mode.Further analyze the impact of consumers′free-riding behavior and network channel preferences on manufacturers′channel choices,we find manufacturers should choose online direct selling dual-channel model if the degree of customers′preference for the online channel is relatively low,or conversely choose online distribution dual-channel model when it is relatively high.By analyzing the impact of consumers′free-riding behavior and online channel preferences on pricing decisions,it is found that the greater the consumer online channel preference or free-riding behavior,the lower the wholesale price should be set in both modes.The greater the free-riding behavior of online direct channel mode,the lower the sales price of the network channel,and the greater the preference of the consumer network channel,the higher the sales price of the network channel.In addition,through a comparison of service decision,it is found that the increase of consumers′preference for online channel or the level of free riding in two dual-channel models will prompt retailers to lower service levels,and the traditional retailers will have higher service level in the online distribution dual-channel mode than in online direct selling dual-channel mode.