Inventory Research on Dual-Channel Supply Chains under Consumer Channel Preferences

Abstract

To meet the diverse consumption needs of modern consumers, many e-commerce companies choose to establish a dual-channel operation system, combining online and offline methods to achieve multi-dimensional market coverage and integration of channel resources. Consumers’ channel preferences when shopping will directly affect the company’s investment cost in channels, and further influence the final retail price and wholesale price. This article interviews relevant practitioners and consumers in the form of questionnaires to collect relevant data such as the acceptance of offline channels, channel prices, delivery times, and channel service levels. Taking Product A of Company L as an example, a combination of mathematical models and Matlab simulation is adopted, with the goal of maximizing dual-channel revenue. Under actual constraints such as fluctuations in market demand and channel conflicts, To obtain the linear relationship between influencing factors such as travel costs and delivery timeliness and the company’s ordering decisions and financial performance when consumers’ channel preferences change, thereby providing a quantitative decision-making basis for the company to solve the current inventory overstock problem by transforming the ordering strategy and adjusting the order quantity.