IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/anture/v54y2015icp136-155.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of a new online channel: An empirical study

Author

Listed:
  • Lu, Qiang (Steven)
  • Yang, Yupin
  • Yuksel, Ulku

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of adding a direct online channel on a firm and its intermediaries. We develop a set of testable hypotheses and then empirically test them on a longitudinal transaction dataset from the hospitality industry. Our results show that the introduction of a direct online channel significantly reduces the price premium charged by intermediaries, and the impact varies across consumer segments and product markets. More interestingly, we find that, after the adoption of a direct online channel: (1) the intermediaries are not necessarily worse off; (2) price dispersion increases for products sold through both intermediaries and direct channels; and (3) the price dispersion increase is higher for products sold by intermediaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Qiang (Steven) & Yang, Yupin & Yuksel, Ulku, 2015. "The impact of a new online channel: An empirical study," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 136-155.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:54:y:2015:i:c:p:136-155
    DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2015.06.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738315000948
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.annals.2015.06.006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anindya Ghose & Yuliang Yao, 2011. "Using Transaction Prices to Re-Examine Price Dispersion in Electronic Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 22(2), pages 269-288, June.
    2. Eric J. Johnson & Wendy W. Moe & Peter S. Fader & Steven Bellman & Gerald L. Lohse, 2004. "On the Depth and Dynamics of Online Search Behavior," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(3), pages 299-308, March.
    3. Steven Salop & Joseph Stiglitz, 1977. "Bargains and Ripoffs: A Model of Monopolistically Competitive Price Dispersion," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 44(3), pages 493-510.
    4. Punj, Girish N & Staelin, Richard, 1983. "A Model of Consumer Information Search Behavior for New Automobiles," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 9(4), pages 366-380, March.
    5. Stigler, George J., 2011. "Economics of Information," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 35-49.
    6. Gerard J. Tellis & Birger Wernerfelt, 1987. "Competitive Price and Quality Under Asymmetric Information," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 240-253.
    7. Dresner, Martin, 2006. "Leisure versus business passengers: Similarities, differences, and implications," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 28-32.
    8. Eric K. Clemons & Il-Horn Hann & Lorin M. Hitt, 2002. "Price Dispersion and Differentiation in Online Travel: An Empirical Investigation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(4), pages 534-549, April.
    9. Erik Brynjolfsson & Michael D. Smith, 2000. "Frictionless Commerce? A Comparison of Internet and Conventional Retailers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(4), pages 563-585, April.
    10. Díaz, Estrella & Martín-Consuegra, David & Esteban, Águeda, 2015. "Perceptions of service cannibalisation: The moderating effect of the type of travel agency," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 329-342.
    11. Burdett, Kenneth & Judd, Kenneth L, 1983. "Equilibrium Price Dispersion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(4), pages 955-969, July.
    12. Koo, Bonwoo & Mantin, Benny & O'Connor, Peter, 2011. "Online distribution of airline tickets: Should airlines adopt a single or a multi-channel approach?," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 69-74.
    13. Ruppert,David & Wand,M. P. & Carroll,R. J., 2003. "Semiparametric Regression," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521785167.
    14. Jay B. Barney, 1986. "Strategic Factor Markets: Expectations, Luck, and Business Strategy," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(10), pages 1231-1241, October.
    15. Rajiv Lal & Miklos Sarvary, 1999. "When and How Is the Internet Likely to Decrease Price Competition?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 485-503.
    16. Rao, Akshay R & Bergen, Mark E, 1992. "Price Premium Variations as a Consequence of Buyers' Lack of Information," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 19(3), pages 412-423, December.
    17. Berne, Carmen & Garcia-Gonzalez, Margarita & Mugica, Jose, 2012. "How ICT shifts the power balance of tourism distribution channels," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 205-214.
    18. Alamdari, Fariba, 2002. "Regional development in airlines and travel agents relationship," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(5), pages 339-348.
    19. J. Yannis Bakos, 1997. "Reducing Buyer Search Costs: Implications for Electronic Marketplaces," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(12), pages 1676-1692, December.
    20. Vandermerwe, Sandra, 1999. "The electronic 'go-between service provider': a new 'middle' role taking centre stage," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 598-608, December.
    21. Jallat, Frederic & Capek, Michael J., 2001. "Disintermediation in question: New economy, new networks, new middlemen," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 55-60.
    22. Hemant K. Bhargava & Vidyanand Choudhary, 2004. "Economics of an Information Intermediary with Aggregation Benefits," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 22-36, March.
    23. Ruppert,David & Wand,M. P. & Carroll,R. J., 2003. "Semiparametric Regression," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521780506.
    24. Inyoung Kim & Noah D. Cohen & Raymond J. Carroll, 2003. "Semiparametric Regression Splines in Matched Case-Control Studies," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 59(4), pages 1158-1169, December.
    25. Stahl, Dale O, II, 1989. "Oligopolistic Pricing with Sequential Consumer Search," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(4), pages 700-712, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hao Huang & Yide Liu & Dong Lu, 2020. "Proposing a model for evaluating market efficiency of OTAs: Theoretical approach," Tourism Economics, , vol. 26(6), pages 958-975, September.
    2. Hunold, Matthias & Kesler, Reinhold & Laitenberger, Ulrich, 2018. "Hotel rankings of online travel agents, channel pricing and consumer protection," DICE Discussion Papers 300, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    3. Andrea Mantovani & Claudio Piga & Carlo Reggiani, 2017. "The dynamics of online hotel prices and the EU Booking.com case," Working Papers 17-04, NET Institute.
    4. Quaglione, Davide & Crociata, Alessandro & Agovino, Massimiliano & Iaia, Lea, 2020. "Cultural capital and online purchase of tourism services," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    5. Qian Jin & Hui Hu & Xiaozhi Su & Alastair M. Morrison, 2021. "The Influence of the Characteristics of Online Itinerary on Purchasing Behavior," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-19, September.
    6. Merkert, Rico & Hakim, Md Mahbubul, 2022. "Travel agency transaction costs in airline value chains – A risk in distribution channels in South Asia?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. Matthias Hunold & Reinhold Kesler & Ulrich Laitenberger, 2020. "Rankings of Online Travel Agents, Channel Pricing, and Consumer Protection," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 92-116, January.
    8. Hunold, Matthias & Kesler, Reinhold & Laitenberger, Ulrich & Schlütter, Frank, 2018. "Evaluation of best price clauses in online hotel bookings," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 542-571.
    9. Carlotta Mariotto & Marianne Verdier, 2020. "Platform–merchant competition for sales services," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 834-853, October.
    10. Álvarez-Albelo, Carmen D. & Hernández-Martín, Raúl & Padrón-Fumero, Noemi, 2017. "Air passenger duties as strategic tourism taxation," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 442-453.
    11. Simović, Olivera & Rađenović, Žarko & Perović, Djurdjica & Vujačić, Vesna, 2020. "Tourism in the Digital Age: E-booking Perspective," Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference (2020), Virtual Conference, in: Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference, Virtual Conference, 10-12 September 2020, pages 616-627, IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy, Zagreb.
    12. Huang, Huiling & Liu, Stephanie Q. & Kandampully, Jay & Bujisic, Milos, 2020. "Consumer Responses to Scarcity Appeals in Online Booking," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    13. Mantovani, Andrea & Piga, Claudio A. & Reggiani, Carlo, 2021. "Online platform price parity clauses: Evidence from the EU Booking.com case," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhuang, Hejun & Popkowski Leszczyc, Peter T.L. & Lin, Yuanfang, 2018. "Why is Price Dispersion Higher Online than Offline? The Impact of Retailer Type and Shopping Risk on Price Dispersion," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 136-153.
    2. Ratchford, Brian T., 2009. "Online Pricing: Review and Directions for Research," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 82-90.
    3. Byrne, David P. & Martin, Leslie A., 2021. "Consumer search and income inequality," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Nelson Granados & Alok Gupta & Robert J. Kauffman, 2012. "Online and Offline Demand and Price Elasticities: Evidence from the Air Travel Industry," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 164-181, March.
    5. Sengupta Anirban & Wiggins Steven N., 2012. "Comparing Price Dispersion on and off the Internet Using Airline Transaction Data," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-38, March.
    6. Lindgren, Charlie & Daunfeldt, Sven-Olov & Rudholm, Niklas, 2021. "Pricing In Retail Markets With Low Search Costs: Evidence From A Price Comparison Website," HFI Working Papers 18, Institute of Retail Economics (Handelns Forskningsinstitut).
    7. Böheim, René & Hackl, Franz & Hölzl-Leitner, Michael, 2021. "The impact of price adjustment costs on price dispersion in e-commerce," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    8. Cason, Timothy N. & Friedman, Daniel, 2003. "Buyer search and price dispersion: a laboratory study," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 112(2), pages 232-260, October.
    9. Anania, Giovanni & Nisticò, Rosanna, 2014. "Price dispersion and seller heterogeneity in retail food markets," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 190-201.
    10. repec:smu:ecowpa:1301 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Anania, Giovanni & Nistico, Rosanna, 2012. "Price dispersion, search costs and consumers and sellers heterogeneity in retail food markets," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 125594, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Zhang, Xubing & Jiang, Bo, 2014. "Increasing Price Transparency: Implications of Consumer Price Posting for Consumers' Haggling Behavior and a Seller's Pricing Strategies," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 68-85.
    13. Dmitri Kuksov, 2004. "Buyer Search Costs and Endogenous Product Design," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 490-499, May.
    14. Jeffrey R. Brown & Austan Goolsbee, 2002. "Does the Internet Make Markets More Competitive? Evidence from the Life Insurance Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(3), pages 481-507, June.
    15. Richards, Timothy J. & Hamilton, Stephen F. & Allender, William, 2016. "Search and price dispersion in online grocery markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 255-281.
    16. Eric Overby & Chris Forman, 2011. "The Effect of Electronic Commerce on Geographic Trade and Price Variance in a Business-to-Business Market," Working Papers 11-30, NET Institute.
    17. Ramnath K. Chellappa & Raymond G. Sin & S. Siddarth, 2011. "Price Formats as a Source of Price Dispersion: A Study of Online and Offline Prices in the Domestic U.S. Airline Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 83-98, March.
    18. Backus, Matthew R. & Podwol, Joseph Uri & Schneider, Henry S., 2014. "Search costs and equilibrium price dispersion in auction markets," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 173-192.
    19. Nelson Granados & Alok Gupta & Robert J. Kauffman, 2010. "Research Commentary---Information Transparency in Business-to-Consumer Markets: Concepts, Framework, and Research Agenda," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 207-226, June.
    20. Thomas A. Weber & Zhiqiang (Eric) Zheng, 2007. "A Model of Search Intermediaries and Paid Referrals," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 414-436, December.
    21. Erik Brynjolfsson & Michael D. Smith, 2000. "Frictionless Commerce? A Comparison of Internet and Conventional Retailers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(4), pages 563-585, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:54:y:2015:i:c:p:136-155. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/annals-of-tourism-research/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.