IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i11p6016-d562990.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managing the Product-Counterfeiting Problem with a Blockchain-Supported E-Commerce Platform

Author

Listed:
  • Ji Jiang

    (School of Information Technology and Management, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Jin Chen

    (School of Information Technology and Management, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China)

Abstract

As a disruptive tool, blockchain technology can eradicate the product-counterfeiting problem in supply chains. However, a blockchain-supported platform charges an operating fee to legitimate manufacturers and retailers for product traceability and authentication. In this study, we employ enterprise profit-driven analytical models using Stackelberg equilibrium theory and highlight the values of blockchain-supported e-commerce platforms in addressing the product-counterfeiting problem. To measure the actual benefits of blockchain technology, we compare the profits of all agents in two different supply chains, traditional and blockchain-supported. Results show that the application of blockchain technology is not always beneficial to manufacturers, retailers, and customers. However, when the manufacturing cost of a legitimate manufacturer is sufficiently high, the manufacturer generates more profits using blockchain technology. Further, for a price-sensitive market, a retailer tends to trade in a blockchain-supported e-commerce platform if the retailer’s qualification in the platform is lower than that in a traditional supply chain, and the manufacturing cost of the counterfeit manufacturer in the platform is higher than that in a traditional supply chain.

Suggested Citation

  • Ji Jiang & Jin Chen, 2021. "Managing the Product-Counterfeiting Problem with a Blockchain-Supported E-Commerce Platform," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6016-:d:562990
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6016/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6016/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Taehyun Ko & Jaeram Lee & Doojin Ryu, 2018. "Blockchain Technology and Manufacturing Industry: Real-Time Transparency and Cost Savings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Sara Saberi & Mahtab Kouhizadeh & Joseph Sarkis & Lejia Shen, 2019. "Blockchain technology and its relationships to sustainable supply chain management," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(7), pages 2117-2135, April.
    3. Chen, Jie & Teng, Lefa & Liu, Shixiong & Zhu, Huihuang, 2015. "Anticipating regret and consumers' preferences for counterfeit luxury products," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 507-515.
    4. Choi, Tsan-Ming, 2019. "Blockchain-technology-supported platforms for diamond authentication and certification in luxury supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 17-29.
    5. Qiang Mei & Qiaomei Zhou & Suxia Liu & Qiwei Wang, 2020. "A Safety Signaling Game for Small and Medium-sized Manufacturing Enterprises in the Supply Chain," International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management (IJISSCM), IGI Global, vol. 13(1), pages 118-135, January.
    6. Mengdi Zhang & Saurabh Pratap & George Q. Huang & Zhiheng Zhao, 2017. "Optimal collaborative transportation service trading in B2B e-commerce logistics," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(18), pages 5485-5501, September.
    7. Simona Romani & Giacomo Gistri & Stefano Pace, 2012. "When counterfeits raise the appeal of luxury brands," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 807-824, September.
    8. Volodymyr Babich & Christopher S. Tang, 2012. "Managing Opportunistic Supplier Product Adulteration: Deferred Payments, Inspection, and Combined Mechanisms," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 14(2), pages 301-314, April.
    9. Xu, Su Xiu & Cheng, Meng & Huang, George Q., 2015. "Efficient intermodal transportation auctions for B2B e-commerce logistics with transaction costs," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 322-337.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2020. "The Unknown Potential of Blockchain for Sustainable Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Dutta, Pankaj & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Somani, Surabhi & Butala, Richa, 2020. "Blockchain technology in supply chain operations: Applications, challenges and research opportunities," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Vineet Paliwal & Shalini Chandra & Suneel Sharma, 2020. "Blockchain Technology for Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Literature Review and a Classification Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-39, September.
    4. Su, Dan & Zhang, Lijun & Peng, Hua & Saeidi, Parvaneh & Tirkolaee, Erfan Babaee, 2023. "Technical challenges of blockchain technology for sustainable manufacturing paradigm in Industry 4.0 era using a fuzzy decision support system," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    5. Dong, Ciwei & Huang, Qianzhi & Pan, Yuqing & Ng, Chi To & Liu, Renjun, 2023. "Logistics outsourcing: Effects of greenwashing and blockchain technology," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    6. Yuling Sun & Xiaomei Song & Yihao Jiang & Jian Guo, 2023. "Strategy Analysis of Fresh Agricultural Enterprises in a Competitive Circumstance: The Impact of Blockchain and Consumer Traceability Preferences," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, February.
    7. Deqing Ma & Pengcheng Ma & Jinsong Hu, 2024. "The Impact of Blockchain Technology Adoption on an E-Commerce Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Consumer Trust," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-41, February.
    8. Chang, Jasmine (Aichih) & Katehakis, Michael N. & Shi, Jim (Junmin) & Yan, Zhipeng, 2021. "Blockchain-empowered Newsvendor optimization," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    9. Sharma, Amalesh & Soni, Mauli & Borah, Sourav Bikash & Haque, Tanjum, 2022. "From silos to synergies: A systematic review of luxury in marketing research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 893-907.
    10. Ghulam Naseer Shah & Muhammad Asim, 2019. "Impact of E-Logistics on Warehousing Management Performance at English Biscuit Manufacturing," Business Management and Strategy, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(2), pages 132-162, December.
    11. Jiaguo Liu & Huida Zhao & Yibing Lyu & Xiaohang Yue, 2023. "The provision strategy of blockchain service under the supply chain with downstream competition," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 327(1), pages 375-400, August.
    12. Gupta, Shivam & Modgil, Sachin & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Kumar, Ajay & Antony, Jiju, 2023. "Influences of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology on financial resilience of supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    13. Arim Park & Huan Li, 2021. "The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    14. Zhang, Tianyu & Dong, Peiwu & Chen, Xiangfeng & Gong, Yu, 2023. "The impacts of blockchain adoption on a dual-channel supply chain with risk-averse members," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    15. Choi, Tsan-Ming & Wen, Xin & Sun, Xuting & Chung, Sai-Ho, 2019. "The mean-variance approach for global supply chain risk analysis with air logistics in the blockchain technology era," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 178-191.
    16. Ahmad A. A. Khanfar & Mohammad Iranmanesh & Morteza Ghobakhloo & Madugoda Gunaratnege Senali & Masood Fathi, 2021. "Applications of Blockchain Technology in Sustainable Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    17. Li, Qingying & Ma, Manqiong & Shi, Tianqin & Zhu, Chen, 2022. "Green investment in a sustainable supply chain: The role of blockchain and fairness," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    18. Yang, Lei & Gao, Muyi & Feng, Lipan, 2022. "Competition versus cooperation? Which is better in a remanufacturing supply chain considering blockchain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    19. Simon Wong & John-Kun-Woon Yeung & Yui-Yip Lau & Joseph So, 2021. "Technical Sustainability of Cloud-Based Blockchain Integrated with Machine Learning for Supply Chain Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    20. De-Qing Ma & Xiao-Qing Wang & Xue Wang & Jin-Song Hu, 2023. "Achieving Triple Benefits in a Platform-Based Closed-Loop Supply Chain: The Optimal Combination between Recycling Channel and Blockchain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-40, February.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6016-:d:562990. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.