This paper analyzes an emerging rebate mode where a cashback website not only serves as a promotional device in generating more sales for an online retailer, but also makes decisions on its marketing effort autonomously under certain product availability conditions set by the online retailer. Using a game-theoretic approach, this paper analyzes the optimal decision of both parties in commission-driven rebate mode and marketing-based rebate mode in a market dominated by the online retailer and cashback website respectively. Our main findings are as follows: (1) In the Retailer Stackelberg (RS) game, which rebate mode an online retailer will adopt is related to the marketing cost of the rebate channel and the consumer utility discount (UD) factor. (2) Both rebate modes will help the retailer to expand the market and increase profit because of price differentiation. (3) There is a possible price trap in marketing-based rebate mode. (4) In RS game, the effect of consumer UD factor on the optimal marketing effort is related to the product availability in the rebate channel. (5) In both RS game and Cashback-website Stackelberg (CS) game, the online retailer should strive to become a leader. However, the cashback website prefers the online retailer to be a leader when marketing cost is relatively low in the marketing-based mode. Our results, consistent with several real-world observations, have useful implications for marketers.

本文分析了一种新兴的返利模式，在这种模式下，现金返还网站不仅可以充当促销手段，为在线零售商创造更多的销售额，而且可以在在线零售商设定的某些产品可用性条件下自主决定其营销活动。本文采用博弈论的方法，分析了在在线零售商和现金返还网站主导的市场中，双方在佣金驱动的返利模式和基于营销的返利模式下的最优决策。我们的主要发现如下：（1）在零售商Stackelberg（RS）游戏中，在线零售商将采用哪种返利模式与返利渠道的营销成本和消费者效用折扣（UD）因素有关。（2）两种返利方式都将帮助零售商因价格差异而扩大市场并增加利润。（3）在基于营销的返利模式下可能存在价格陷阱。（4）在RS游戏中，消费者UD因素对最佳营销工作的影响与返利渠道中的产品可用性有关。（5）在RS游戏和Cashback网站Stackelberg（CS）游戏中，在线零售商都应努力成为领导者。但是，当在基于营销的模式下营销成本相对较低时，现金返还网站希望在线零售商成为领导者。我们的结果与一些现实世界的观察结果一致，对营销人员有有益的启示。消费者UD因素对最佳营销工作的影响与返利渠道中的产品可用性有关。（5）在RS游戏和Cashback网站Stackelberg（CS）游戏中，在线零售商都应努力成为领导者。但是，当在基于营销的模式下营销成本相对较低时，现金返还网站希望在线零售商成为领导者。我们的结果与一些现实世界的观察结果一致，对营销人员有有益的启示。消费者UD因素对最佳营销工作的影响与返利渠道中的产品可用性有关。（5）在RS游戏和Cashback网站Stackelberg（CS）游戏中，在线零售商都应努力成为领导者。但是，当在基于营销的模式下营销成本相对较低时，现金返还网站希望在线零售商成为领导者。我们的结果与一些现实世界的观察结果一致，对营销人员有有益的启示。