Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform

This study examines how a low-carbon manufacturer strategically adopts blockchain technology and selects sales modes with a dual-purpose e-commerce platform that focuses on both profit and consumer surplus. We develop six game-theoretic models by combining three sales modes (agency, reselling, and d...

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Main Authors: Lirong Wu, Congying Duan, Qingkai Ji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/458
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author Lirong Wu
Congying Duan
Qingkai Ji
author_facet Lirong Wu
Congying Duan
Qingkai Ji
author_sort Lirong Wu
collection DOAJ
description This study examines how a low-carbon manufacturer strategically adopts blockchain technology and selects sales modes with a dual-purpose e-commerce platform that focuses on both profit and consumer surplus. We develop six game-theoretic models by combining three sales modes (agency, reselling, and dual modes) with two blockchain scenarios (adoption vs. non-adoption). Using backward induction, we derive equilibrium strategies for supply chain members and analyze the impacts of key parameters. Building on these analyses, we further investigate the joint decision-making of blockchain adoption and sales mode selection, exploring how the platform’s consumer surplus concern influences manufacturer decisions, and evaluating the economic value created by blockchain under alternative sales modes, ultimately leading to three key findings: (1) The agency mode is generally preferred in most cases, especially when the platform has a moderate level of concern for consumer surplus. Blockchain adoption is only recommended when its unit operational cost is below certain thresholds, and it can significantly impact the choice between agency and dual modes based on the platform’s consumer surplus concern. (2) Platform’s degree of consumer surplus concern exerts a negligible effect on manufacturer’s sales mode selection without blockchain, but it becomes crucial and can trigger a shift to the dual mode when blockchain is adopted. (3) Blockchain generates the greatest economic value for the manufacturer under the dual mode, regardless of cost thresholds. For platforms, the optimal strategy depends on blockchain’s unit operational cost, with the reselling mode being optimal for low cost and the agency mode preferred for higher cost.
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spelling doaj-art-dae3beca9b43493e8d54b7f43aca86d02025-08-20T02:21:58ZengMDPI AGSystems2079-89542025-06-0113645810.3390/systems13060458Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose PlatformLirong Wu0Congying Duan1Qingkai Ji2School of Economics and Management, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030031, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030031, ChinaInternational Business School, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, ChinaThis study examines how a low-carbon manufacturer strategically adopts blockchain technology and selects sales modes with a dual-purpose e-commerce platform that focuses on both profit and consumer surplus. We develop six game-theoretic models by combining three sales modes (agency, reselling, and dual modes) with two blockchain scenarios (adoption vs. non-adoption). Using backward induction, we derive equilibrium strategies for supply chain members and analyze the impacts of key parameters. Building on these analyses, we further investigate the joint decision-making of blockchain adoption and sales mode selection, exploring how the platform’s consumer surplus concern influences manufacturer decisions, and evaluating the economic value created by blockchain under alternative sales modes, ultimately leading to three key findings: (1) The agency mode is generally preferred in most cases, especially when the platform has a moderate level of concern for consumer surplus. Blockchain adoption is only recommended when its unit operational cost is below certain thresholds, and it can significantly impact the choice between agency and dual modes based on the platform’s consumer surplus concern. (2) Platform’s degree of consumer surplus concern exerts a negligible effect on manufacturer’s sales mode selection without blockchain, but it becomes crucial and can trigger a shift to the dual mode when blockchain is adopted. (3) Blockchain generates the greatest economic value for the manufacturer under the dual mode, regardless of cost thresholds. For platforms, the optimal strategy depends on blockchain’s unit operational cost, with the reselling mode being optimal for low cost and the agency mode preferred for higher cost.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/458e-commerce supply chaindual-purpose platformblockchain adoptionsales mode
spellingShingle Lirong Wu
Congying Duan
Qingkai Ji
Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
Systems
e-commerce supply chain
dual-purpose platform
blockchain adoption
sales mode
title Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
title_full Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
title_fullStr Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
title_full_unstemmed Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
title_short Manufacturer Strategies for Blockchain Adoption and Sales Mode Selection with a Dual-Purpose Platform
title_sort manufacturer strategies for blockchain adoption and sales mode selection with a dual purpose platform
topic e-commerce supply chain
dual-purpose platform
blockchain adoption
sales mode
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/458
work_keys_str_mv AT lirongwu manufacturerstrategiesforblockchainadoptionandsalesmodeselectionwithadualpurposeplatform
AT congyingduan manufacturerstrategiesforblockchainadoptionandsalesmodeselectionwithadualpurposeplatform
AT qingkaiji manufacturerstrategiesforblockchainadoptionandsalesmodeselectionwithadualpurposeplatform