基于顾客渠道偏好的全渠道零售商库存研究

Inventory Research for Omni-Channel Retailers Based on Customer Channel Preference

本文以全渠道零售商门店库存为背景,以企业利润最大化为目标,从顾客渠道偏好、产品质量和顾客类型等方面分析顾客退货带来的损失对全渠道零售商门店最优库存的影响。首先分析传统线上线下模式且不考虑顾客流失的情形,然后分析存在顾客流失的情形,进而分析通过实体展厅有效降低顾客退货概率和顾客流失的情形。研究结果表明:顾客对产品的购买意愿较小时,所有顾客都到线下渠道,此时零售商需增加门店库存,减少顾客流失,增加收益,库存增加的数量与顾客的流失概率有关;开通展厅功能有效降低退货概率和顾客流失时,零售商应减少门店库存,增加企业利润;当产品质量问题引起的两个渠道退货概率都很高时,零售商是增大还是减少门店库存,与两个渠道的退货损失和存在渠道偏好顾客的概率相关。本文研究对于全渠道零售商在考虑顾客退货损失的基础上设置最合理的门店库存有一定的指导意义和实际应用价值。

It aims to maximize the retailer's revenue based on the inventory of omni-channel retailers in this paper.The impact of return loss on the retailer's maximum revenue is analyzed,considering customers'channel preference,product quality,and types of customers.It is assumed that customers can purchase products from both the online and offline channels.Drawing from existing surveys,how retailers should determine the optimal store inventory is explored,especially when a few customers prefer offline shopping channels.The characteristics of the optimal store inventory concerning product quality,return loss,and the probability of customer channel preference are detailed.Four new customer utility functions and retailer profit models are established corresponding to the four cases proposed.Firstly,the basic model is deseribed,which allows customers to return products from both online and offline channels without considering customer loss.Secondly,the mode is introduced that accounts for customer loss when stores face shortages and yet allows returns from both channels.To prevent customer loss,the third mode is then described,which suggests that retailers establish showrooms to alleviate customers'uncertainty regarding products.Finally,based on the third mode,a model is presented where setting up showrooms can reduce both the probability of returns and customer loss,though some customers may still leave if store shortages occur.The optimal inventory outcomes are then compared from the above scenarios.Our research reveals that,firstly,when customers'belief in a product is low,they will prefer offline purchases.From the retailer's perspective,increasing the store's inventory can minimize customer loss and maximize profit due to the relationship between inventory levels and loss prob⁃ability.Secondly,when retailers introduce showrooms,they should reduce store inventory to maximize revenue.This scenario significantly reduces the likelihood of returns and customer loss.Thirdly,when the prob⁃abilities,influenced by product quality,are high for both channels,the decision to increase or decrease store inventory is determined by the return loss from both channels and the probability distribution of customers with channel preference.Our research offers valuable insights for omni-channel retailers to set reasonable inventory levels while considering return losses.