Channel Choice via On-Line Platform
By Stephen Gilbert, Parshuram Hotkar
Production and Operations Management | April 2024
DOI
doi.org/10.1177/10591478241249478
Citation
Gilbert, Stephen., Hotkar, Parshuram. (2024). Channel Choice via On-Line Platform Production and Operations Management doi.org/10.1177/10591478241249478.
Copyright
Production and Operations Management, 2024
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Abstract
Several major on-line platforms operate two channels: an agency channel in which suppliers retain control over prices and quantities and pay a portion of sales revenue to the platform, and a reselling channel in which the platform purchases goods from the supplier and resells them to consumers. These two channels run in parallel and many suppliers interact with only one of them. Although it is quite easy for a supplier to sell through a platform's agency channel, they must typically be invited to participate in the reselling channel. We develop a model of a powerful platform that can offer a supplier a two-part contract to induce it to participate in its reselling channel instead of its agency channel. When the supplier sells through the platform's agency channel, we find that if the competition among the traditional resellers is at least moderate and the on-line platform is a close enough substitute for traditional resale channel, then the equilibrium quantities sold through the on-line and traditional channels both exceed the first best quantities. This would not occur if the supplier sold through either the on-line or the traditional channel in isolation. Nor does it occur if the supplier sells through the platform's reselling channel. As a consequence, we find that when competition among traditional resellers is at least moderate, and both the commission rate and the substitutability between the on-line platform and the traditional resale channel are sufficiently high, there is a Pareto improving reselling contract between the supplier
and the platform.

Parshuram Hotkar is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the Indian School of Business (ISB). His research examines strategic interactions within supply chains, with applications ranging from omnichannel retail to healthcare. In recent years, his work has increasingly focused on healthcare supply chains, addressing challenges such as drug shortages, quality, and access—issues with direct implications for public health and policy. By combining analytical modeling with practical insights, his research aims to contribute to both academic understanding and real-world solutions.

Professor Hotkar’s work has been recognized with best paper awards from leading academic bodies, including INFORMS and the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI). Beyond healthcare, he has collaborated with think tanks, government agencies, and industry partners to extend the societal impact of his research.

At ISB, he teaches courses on supply chain management, supply network design, strategic procurement, and operations management, with an emphasis on helping students break down complex, real-world challenges into simpler, actionable frameworks.

He earned his PhD and MS in Information, Risk, and Operations Management from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds an MS in Operations Management and a dual degree (BTech and MTech) in Biotechnology from IIT Madras.

Parshuram Hotkar
Parshuram Hotkar