ABSTRACT We investigate a manufacturer’s three possible online strategies while the manufacturer also distributes its product through an independent retailer in a traditional channel. Under direct selling, the manufacturer sells its products to online consumers directly. Under reselling, the manufacturer sells its product through an e-tailer. Under agency selling, the manufacturer sells its products to consumers through an online agent’s website and pays the agent a commission fee. We show that it is optimal for the manufacturer to choose direct selling if the operating cost for the online channel under direct selling is sufficiently low relative to that under reselling as well as the online agent’s commission fee. Similarly, reselling through an e-tailer is optimal to the manufacturer if the operating cost for the online channel under reselling is sufficiently low. Furthermore, agency selling should be chosen if the online agent’s commission fee is sufficiently low. However, a strategy with a low online cost (including the operating costs under direct selling and reselling, and the commission fee under agency selling) may lead to a low profit for the traditional retailer, which eventually causes a low total profit for the supply chain. Nonetheless, consumers generally benefit from the manufacturer’s optimal online distribution strategy because of low prices and high quantities.

中文翻译：

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直销、转售还是代理销售？制造商的在线分销策略及其影响

摘要 我们调查了制造商的三种可能的在线策略，同时制造商还通过传统渠道的独立零售商分销其产品。在直销下，制造商将其产品直接销售给在线消费者。在转售时，制造商通过电子零售商销售其产品。在代理销售下，制造商通过在线代理的网站向消费者销售其产品，并向代理支付佣金。我们表明，如果直销下在线渠道的运营成本相对于转售以及在线代理的佣金费用足够低，则制造商选择直销是最佳选择。相似地，如果转售的在线渠道的运营成本足够低，那么通过电子零售商转售对制造商来说是最佳选择。此外，如果在线代理的佣金费用足够低，则应选择代理销售。然而，低线上成本（包括直销和转销下的运营成本，以及代理销售下的佣金费用）的策略可能会导致传统零售商的利润较低，最终导致供应链的总利润较低。 . 尽管如此，由于价格低且数量多，消费者通常会从制造商的最佳在线分销策略中受益。线上成本（包括直销和转销的运营成本，代理销售的佣金）较低的策略可能导致传统零售商的利润较低，最终导致供应链的总利润较低。尽管如此，由于价格低且数量多，消费者通常会从制造商的最佳在线分销策略中受益。线上成本（包括直销和转销的运营成本，代理销售的佣金）较低的策略可能导致传统零售商的利润较低，最终导致供应链的总利润较低。尽管如此，由于价格低且数量多，消费者通常会从制造商的最佳在线分销策略中受益。