Abstract
To investigate the value of information sharing in dual-channel retailing, we construct a supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer engaged in a Stackelberg game. In contrast to prior research, we study the interplay between each player’s channel and information sharing strategies by examining boundary cases. Furthermore, we study two alternative timings for the manufacturer to set the wholesale price: after information sharing (mode AD) or before information sharing (mode BD). Our results show that the market conditions and timing to set wholesale prices can affect each player’s channel strategy. Under specific circumstances, both the manufacturer and retailer may opt to strategically abandon their channels to maximize profits. Moreover, we find that in mode AD, information sharing consistently benefits the manufacturer and supply chain, while it may negatively impact the retailer. In mode BD, information sharing benefits the manufacturer while may hurt the retailer and supply chain due to boundary cases. Therefore, information sharing agreement can be reached in most cases under modes AD and BD. However, it is noteworthy that with a medium demand variance and low channel substitution rate, information sharing may not be reached under mode BD. Finally, we compare mode AD and BD and discover that in interior equilibrium cases, the manufacturer always favors mode AD while the retailer and supply chain prefer mode BD. However, preferences may alter when considering the boundary cases: in most cases, the supply chain and retailer prefer mode AD.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig3_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig5_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10479-024-06080-8/MediaObjects/10479_2024_6080_Fig6_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
References
Chiang, W. Y. K., Chhajed, D., & Hess, J. D. (2003). Direct marketing, indirect profits: a strategic analysis of dual-channel supply-chain design. Management Science., 49(1), 1–20.
Dai, Y., Dou, L., Song, H., Zhou, L., & Li, H. (2022). Two-way information sharing of uncertain demand forecasts in a dual-channel supply chain. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 169, 108162.
Gal-Or, E. (1985). Information sharing in oligopoly. Econometrica, 53, 329–343.
Guan, H., Yang, Z., & Gurnani, H. (2023). Value of information with manufacturer encroachment. Production and Operations Management, 32(3), 780–793.
Guan, X., Liu, B., Chen, Y. J., & Wang, H. (2020). Inducing Supply Chain Transparency through Supplier Encroachment. Production and Operations Management, 29(3), 725–749.
Guo, L. (2009). The benefits of downstream information acquisition. Marketing Science., 28(3), 457–471.
Guo, L., Li, T., & Zhang, H. (2014). Strategic information sharing in competing channelss. Production and Operations Management, 23(10), 1719–1731.
Guo, L., & Zhao, Y. (2009). Voluntary quality disclosure and market interaction. Marketing Science, 28(3), 488–501.
Ha, A., Long, X., & Nasiry, J. (2016). Quality in supply chain encroachment. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management., 18(2), 280–298.
Ha, A. Y., & Tang, C. S. (2017). Handbook of information exchange in supply chain management. Springer.
Ha, A. Y., Tian, Q., & Tong, S. (2017). Information sharing in competing supply chains with production cost Reduction. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management., 19(2), 246–262.
He, Q. C., Chen, Y. J., & Shen, Z. J. (2018). On the formation of producers’ information-sharing coalitions. Production and Operations Management, 27(5), 917–927.
Huang, S., Guan, X., & Chen, Y.-J. (2018). Retailer Information Sharing with Supplier Encroachment. Production and Operations Management, 27(6), 1133–1147.
Jiang, L., & Hao, Z. (2016). Incentive-Driven information dissemination in two-tier supply chains. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management., 18(3), 393–413.
Li, L. (1985). Cournot oligopoly with information sharing. The RAND Journal of Economics, 521-536
Li, G., Tian, L., & Zheng, H. (2021). Information sharing in an online marketplace with co-opetitive sellers. Production and Operations Management, 30(10), 3713–4373.
Li, L. (2002). Information sharing in a supply chain with horizontal competition. Management Science., 48(9), 1196–1212.
Li, T., & Zhang, H. (2023). Gaining by ceding-bounded wholesale pricing for information sharing in a supply chain. Production and Operations Management, 32(3), 829–843.
Li, Z., Gilbert, S. M., & Lai, G. (2014). Supplier encroachment under asymmetric information. Management Science., 60(2), 449–462.
Lian, J. W., & Yen, D. C. (2014). Online shop** drivers and barriers for older adults: age and gender differences. Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 133–143.
Liu, Z., Zhang, D. J., & Zhang, F. (2021). Information sharing on retail platforms. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 23(3), 606–619.
Lu, W., Jiang, Y., **a, P., & Huang, Z. (2023). How retailer overconfidence affects supply chain transparency with manufacturer encroachment. Annals of operations research, 329(1), 1149–1174.
Luo, H., & Niu, B. (2022). Impact of competition type on a competitive manufacturer’s preference of decision timing. International Journal of Production Economics, 251, 108548.
Matsui, K. (2017). When should a manufacturer set its direct price and wholesale price in dual-channel supply chains? European Journal of Operational Research, 258(2), 501–511.
Matsui, K. (2020). Optimal bargaining timing of a wholesale price for a manufacturer with a retailer in a dual-channel supply chain. European Journal of Operational Research, 287(1), 225–236.
Mishra, B. K., Raghunathan, S., & Yue, X. (2007). Information sharing in supply chains: incentives for information distortion. IIE Transactions, 39(9), 863–877.
Mishra, B. K., Raghunathan, S., & Yue, X. (2009). Demand forecast sharing in supply chains. Production and Operations Management, 18(2), 152–166.
Shamir, N., & Shin, H. (2018). The perils of sharing information in a trade association under a strategic wholesale price. Production and Operations Management, 27(11), 1978–1995.
Shang, W., Ha, A. Y., & Tong, S. (2016). Information sharing in a supply chain with a common retailer. Management Science, 62(1), 245–263.
Tian, L., Vakharia, A. J., Tan, Y., & Xu, Y. (2018). Marketplace, reseller, or hybrid: strategic analysis of an emerging E-commerce model. Production and Operations Management, 27(8), 1595–1610.
Tong, Y., Lu, T., Li, Y., & Ye, F. (2023). Encroachment by a better-informed manufacturer. European Journal of Operational Research, 305(3), 1113–1129.
Tsunoda, Y., & Zennyo, Y. (2021). Platform information transparency and effects on third-party suppliers and offline retailers. Production and Operations Management, 30(11), 4219–4235.
Vives, X. (1999). Oligopoly pricing: old ideas and new tools. MIT Press.
Wu, J., & Yu, J. (2023). Blockchain’s impact on platform supply chains: Transaction cost and information transparency perspectives. International Journal of Production Research, 61(11), 3703–3716.
Yu, H., & Yan, X. (2024). Advance selling under uncertain supply and demand: a robust newsvendor perspective. International Transactions in Operational Research, 31(4), 2672–2715.
Yue, X., & Liu, J. (2006). Demand forecast sharing in a dual-channel supply chain. European Journal of Operational Research, 174(1), 646–667.
Zha, Y., Li, Q., Huang, T., & Yu, Y. (2023). Strategic information sharing of online platforms as resellers or marketplaces. Marketing Science, 42(4), 659–678.
Zhang, J., Li, S., Zhang, S., & Dai, R. (2019a). Manufacturer encroachment with quality decision under asymmetric demand information. European Journal of Operational Research, 273(1), 217–236.
Zhang, Q., Tang, W., Zaccour, G., & Zhang, J. (2019b). Should a manufacturer give up pricing power in a vertical information-sharing channel? European Journal of Operational Research, 276(3), 910–928.
Zhang, S., & Zhang, J. (2020). Agency selling or reselling: E-tailer information sharing with supplier offline entry. European Journal of Operational Research, 280(1), 134–151.
Zhao, Y., Zhou, H., & Wang, J. (2024). Information acquisition and sharing strategies of supply chain with supplier encroachment considering signaling effect. Annals of Operations Research, 336(3), 1835–1869.
Funding
This study was funded by Natural Science Foundation of China [72271234] and Bei**g Natural Science Foundation Municipality [9212010].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Wu, J., Xue, Y. & Yu, J. A strategic analysis of timing of wholesale pricing and information sharing strategy in dual-channel retailing. Ann Oper Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-024-06080-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-024-06080-8