IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ejores/v294y2021i3p965-975.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Retailer's vertical integration strategies under different business modes

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Pei
  • Tan, Dan
  • Wang, Guangyong
  • Wei, Hang
  • Wu, Jilan

Abstract

Currently, increasingly more retailers wish to gain a competitive advantage through vertical integration. We consider a three-echelon supply chain comprising a retailer, a service supplier, and a manufacturer. The service supplier is responsible for the service level, and the manufacturer is responsible for product quality. The retailer has two business modes: reseller mode and platform mode. The retailer chooses one of three strategies, i.e., no vertical integration, forward integration, or backward integration, for these two business modes. By comparing the retailer's equilibrium profit under these vertical integration strategies, we obtain the optimal choice for the retailer and a high profit for the supply chain under different business modes. Moreover, we characterize the effects of the proportional fee, product quality, service level and business mode on vertical integration. We find that the cost effect is determined by product quality and service level and that the income distribution effect is determined by the proportional fee. The cost effect is a key factor affecting the retailer's vertical integration strategy under the reseller mode, and both of these effects jointly affect the retailer's choice under the platform mode. Furthermore, we design a cost-sharing contract to improve vertical integration efficiency and investigate the effect of vertical integration decisions on improvement strategies. Lastly, we consider an extension to analyse the effect of an endogenous proportional fee on retailers' vertical integration strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Pei & Tan, Dan & Wang, Guangyong & Wei, Hang & Wu, Jilan, 2021. "Retailer's vertical integration strategies under different business modes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(3), pages 965-975.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:294:y:2021:i:3:p:965-975
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2020.07.054
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221720306809
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ejor.2020.07.054?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fronmueller, M. P. & Reed, R., 1996. "The competitive advantage potential of vertical integration," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 715-726, December.
    2. de Bragança, Gabriel Godofredo Fiuza & Daglish, Toby, 2017. "Investing in vertical integration: electricity retail market participation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 355-365.
    3. Young Kwark & Jianqing Chen & Srinivasan Raghunathan, 2014. "Online Product Reviews: Implications for Retailers and Competing Manufacturers," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 25(1), pages 93-110, March.
    4. Zennyo, Yusuke, 2020. "Strategic contracting and hybrid use of agency and wholesale contracts in e-commerce platforms," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 281(1), pages 231-239.
    5. Lin Tian & Asoo J. Vakharia & Yinliang (Ricky) Tan & Yifan Xu, 2018. "Marketplace, Reseller, or Hybrid: Strategic Analysis of an Emerging E‐Commerce Model," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 27(8), pages 1595-1610, August.
    6. Biancini, Sara & Ettinger, David, 2017. "Vertical integration and downstream collusion," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 99-113.
    7. Fiocco, Raffaele, 2016. "The strategic value of partial vertical integration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 284-302.
    8. Reyniers, Diane J., 2001. "The effect of vertical integration on consumer price in the presence of inventory costs," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 83-89, April.
    9. Liu, Xingyi, 2016. "Vertical integration and innovation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 88-120.
    10. Zhang, Shichen & Zhang, Jianxiong, 2020. "Agency selling or reselling: E-tailer information sharing with supplier offline entry," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 280(1), pages 134-151.
    11. Cungen Zhu & Zhong Yao, 2018. "Comparison between the agency and wholesale model under the e-book duopoly market," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 313-337, June.
    12. Hagiu Andrei, 2007. "Merchant or Two-Sided Platform?," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 1-19, June.
    13. Yan, Yingchen & Zhao, Ruiqing & Liu, Zhibing, 2018. "Strategic introduction of the marketplace channel under spillovers from online to offline sales," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(1), pages 65-77.
    14. Vibhanshu Abhishek & Kinshuk Jerath & Z. John Zhang, 2016. "Agency Selling or Reselling? Channel Structures in Electronic Retailing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(8), pages 2259-2280, August.
    15. Zhang, Jianqiang & Cao, Qingning & He, Xiuli, 2019. "Contract and product quality in platform selling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 272(3), pages 928-944.
    16. Maruyama, Masayoshi & Minamikawa, Kazumitsu, 2009. "Vertical integration, bundled discounts and welfare," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 62-71, February.
    17. Han, Aiping & Ge, Jianping & Lei, Yalin, 2016. "Vertical vs. horizontal integration: Game analysis for the rare earth industrial integration in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 149-159.
    18. D’Annunzio, Anna, 2017. "Vertical integration in the TV market: Exclusive provision and program quality," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 114-144.
    19. Franz Wirl, 2018. "Agency Model and Wholesale Pricing: Apple versus Amazon in the E-Book Market," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 243-264, May.
    20. Andrei Hagiu & Julian Wright, 2015. "Marketplace or Reseller?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(1), pages 184-203, January.
    21. Matsui, Kenji, 2012. "Strategic upfront marketing channel integration as an entry barrier," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 865-875.
    22. Buehler, Stefan & Schmutzler, Armin, 2008. "Intimidating competitors -- Endogenous vertical integration and downstream investment in successive oligopoly," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 247-265, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Guo, Xiongfei & Chen, Jing, 2023. "Manufacturer’s quality improvement and Retailer’s In-store service in the presence of customer returns," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    2. Lizhen Zhan & Hui Shu & Xideng Zhou & Xiaowei Lin, 2022. "A Quality Decision Model Considering the Delay Effects in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-25, May.
    3. Wang, Tong-Yuan & Chen, Zhen-Song & He, Peng & Govindan, Kannan & Skibniewski, Miroslaw J., 2023. "Alliance strategy in an online retailing supply chain: Motivation, choice, and equilibrium," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Zhang, Zhichao & Xu, Haiyan & Zhao, Yingxue & Liu, Zhi & Chen, Kebing, 2023. "Extended warranty service provision: A strategic analysis for the E-commerce platform supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    5. Pan, Changchun & Huang, Yuzhe & Jin, Long, 2023. "Market entry deregulation and corporate vertical specialization: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    6. Zhao, Qingli & Fan, Zhi-Ping & Sun, Minghe, 2024. "Sales mode selection and blockchain technology adoption decisions in a platform supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    7. Matsui, Kenji, 2024. "Should competing suppliers with dual-channel supply chains adopt agency selling in an e-commerce platform?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 312(2), pages 587-604.
    8. Xiaotong Guo & Yong He, 2022. "Mathematical Modeling and Optimization of Platform Service Supply Chains: A Literature Review," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(22), pages 1-19, November.
    9. Steffen, Nico & Wiewiorra, Lukas & Kroon, Peter, 2021. "Wettbewerb und Regulierung in der Plattform- und Datenökonomie," WIK Discussion Papers 481, WIK Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur und Kommunikationsdienste GmbH.
    10. Qiu, Ruozhen & Li, Xuge & Sun, Minghe, 2023. "Vertical integration of an online secondhand platform and a recycling platform under different power structures," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 310(1), pages 286-301.
    11. Wu, Jie & Lu, Wei & Ji, Xiang, 2023. "The interactions between upstream quality disclosure and downstream entry," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 309(2), pages 545-559.
    12. Hou, Pengwen & Zhao, Yaru & Li, Yating, 2023. "Strategic analysis of supplier integration and encroachment in an outsourcing supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qin, Xuelian & Liu, Zhixue & Tian, Lin, 2021. "The optimal combination between selling mode and logistics service strategy in an e-commerce market," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 289(2), pages 639-651.
    2. Qiao, Haike & Su, Qin, 2021. "Distribution channel and licensing strategy choice considering consumer online reviews in a closed-loop supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    3. Matsui, Kenji, 2024. "Should competing suppliers with dual-channel supply chains adopt agency selling in an e-commerce platform?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 312(2), pages 587-604.
    4. Zhou, Xiaoyang & Liu, He & Li, Jialu & Zhang, Kai & Lev, Benjamin, 2023. "Channel strategies when digital platforms emerge: A systematic literature review," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Alaei, Amir Mohammad & Taleizadeh, Ata Allah & Rabbani, Masoud, 2022. "Marketplace, reseller, or web-store channel: The impact of return policy and cross-channel spillover from marketplace to web-store," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Zhou, Yu & Gao, Xiang & Luo, Suyuan & Xiong, Yu & Ye, Niangyue, 2022. "Anti-Counterfeiting in a retail Platform: A Game-Theoretic approach," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Gong, Canran & Ignatius, Joshua & Song, Huaming & Chai, Junwu & Day, Steven James, 2024. "The Impact of Platform’s Information Sharing on Manufacturer Encroachment and Selling Format Decision," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 317(1), pages 141-155.
    8. Chen, Yujing & Zhong, Yuanguang & Cheng, T.C.E., 2023. "Impacts of the minimum quantity contract on an online retail platform," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 306(3), pages 1236-1247.
    9. Luo, Huajiang & Zhong, Ling & Nie, Jiajia, 2022. "Quality and distribution channel selection on a hybrid platform," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    10. Bian, Yiwen & Wang, Hang & Yan, Shuai & Han, Xiaohua, 2024. "Platform channel strategy of selling format: Effect of asymmetric service information," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    11. Wang, Tong-Yuan & Chen, Zhen-Song & He, Peng & Govindan, Kannan & Skibniewski, Miroslaw J., 2023. "Alliance strategy in an online retailing supply chain: Motivation, choice, and equilibrium," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    12. Wang, Wei & Feng, Lipan & Chen, Xiaoxu & Yang, Lei & Choi, Tsan-Ming, 2024. "Impacts of selling models: Who should offer trade-in programs in e-commerce supply chains?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    13. Huang, Lingchen & Huang, Zongsheng & Liu, Bin, 2022. "Interacting with strategic waiting for store brand: Online selling format selection," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    14. Liu, He & Xu, Tianting & Jing, Shuai & Liu, Zhidong & Wang, Shouyang, 2023. "The interplay between logistics strategy and platform’s channel structure design in B2C platform market," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 310(2), pages 812-833.
    15. Li, Lin & Li, Guo, 2023. "Integrating logistics service or not? The role of platform entry strategy in an online marketplace," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    16. Zhang, Xiuyi & Hou, Wenhua, 2022. "The impacts of e-tailer's private label on the sales mode selection: From the perspectives of economic and environmental sustainability," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 296(2), pages 601-614.
    17. Li, Jin & Wang, Haoyu & Shi, Victor & Sun, Qi, 2024. "Manufacturer's choice of online selling format in a dual-channel supply chain with green products," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 318(1), pages 131-142.
    18. Chen, Zhongwei & Fan, Zhi-Ping & Zhao, Xuan, 2021. "Offering return-freight insurance or not: Strategic analysis of an e-seller's decisions," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    19. Zhang, Zhichao & Xu, Haiyan & Zhao, Yingxue & Liu, Zhi & Chen, Kebing, 2023. "Extended warranty service provision: A strategic analysis for the E-commerce platform supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    20. Ke Li & Gengxin Dai & Yanfei Xia & Zongyu Mu & Guitao Zhang & Yangyan Shi, 2022. "Green Technology Investment with Data-Driven Marketing and Government Subsidy in a Platform Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-22, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:294:y:2021:i:3:p:965-975. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.