IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i10p8253-d1150478.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Online Anti-Counterfeiting on Channel Structure and Pricing Decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Weiting Wang

    (School of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 610000, China)

  • Yi Liao

    (School of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 610000, China)

  • Wenjing Shen

    (Decision Sciences Department, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA)

Abstract

Counterfeiting is an important challenge in maintaining the security and sustainability of supply chains. This paper examines a supply chain consisting of a luxury goods manufacturer (and a retailer) in the presence of counterfeit goods. Inspired by the reality that both manufacturers and retailers have incentives to implement anti-counterfeiting, this paper combines the psychological impact of anti-counterfeiting efforts on consumers and discusses the impact of anti-counterfeiting efforts on pricing and profits. We find that: (1) anti-counterfeiting has a positive impact on the selling price of brand products and the firms’ profits. However, the impact on wholesale prices varies depending on who implements the anti-counterfeiting strategy. (2) Only when the quality of brand products is higher than the threshold, is the firm willing to input anti-counterfeiting efforts. Manufacturers in a reselling structure are more motivated to fight counterfeits. (3) Implementing anti-counterfeiting in a direct selling structure is the most effective strategy for manufacturers. Under a reselling structure, it is more beneficial for manufacturers to have the retailer input anti-counterfeiting efforts. Our study provides insights into the reasons why some manufacturers establish internal anti-counterfeiting teams under the direct selling structure, while others incentivize retailers to invest in anti-counterfeiting.

Suggested Citation

  • Weiting Wang & Yi Liao & Wenjing Shen, 2023. "The Impact of Online Anti-Counterfeiting on Channel Structure and Pricing Decisions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8253-:d:1150478
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8253/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8253/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bian, Xuemei & Moutinho, Luiz, 2009. "An investigation of determinants of counterfeit purchase consideration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 368-378, March.
    2. Hubert Pun & Gregory D. DeYong, 2017. "Competing with Copycats When Customers Are Strategic," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 19(3), pages 403-418, July.
    3. Natee Srisomthavil & Nuttapol Assarut, 2018. "The Impact of Perceived Counterfeit Luxury Brand Proliferation on Luxury Brand Values and Patronage Intention," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 30(1), pages 41-60.
    4. Ghamat, Salar & Pun, Hubert & Critchley, Greg & Hou, Pengwen, 2021. "Using intellectual property agreements in the presence of supplier and third-party copycatting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 291(2), pages 680-692.
    5. Zhan, Lingjing & He, Yanqun, 2012. "Understanding luxury consumption in China: Consumer perceptions of best-known brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 1452-1460.
    6. Hong, Zhaofu & Guo, Xiaolong, 2019. "Green product supply chain contracts considering environmental responsibilities," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 155-166.
    7. Mussa, Michael & Rosen, Sherwin, 1978. "Monopoly and product quality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 301-317, August.
    8. Bin Shen & Ciwei Dong & Stefan Minner, 2022. "Combating Copycats in the Supply Chain with Permissioned Blockchain Technology," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(1), pages 138-154, January.
    9. Harish Krishnan & Roman Kapuscinski & David A. Butz, 2004. "Coordinating Contracts for Decentralized Supply Chains with Retailer Promotional Effort," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(1), pages 48-63, January.
    10. 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.
    11. Zhang, Jie & Zhang, Rachel Q., 2015. "Supply chain structure in a market with deceptive counterfeits," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(1), pages 84-97.
    12. Nordhaus, William D, 1969. "An Economic Theory of Technological Change," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 18-28, May.
    13. Bian, Junsong & Zhang, Guoqing & Zhou, Guanghui, 2023. "The strategic impact of vertical integration on non-deceptive counterfeiting," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    14. Cui, Qinquan, 2019. "Quality investment, and the contract manufacturer’s encroachment," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 279(2), pages 407-418.
    15. Roger Tsafack Nanfosso & Juliana Hadjitchoneva, 2021. "The European Union Facing the Challenges of Globalisation," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 5, pages 27-48.
    16. Yi Qian, 2008. "Impacts of Entry by Counterfeiters," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 123(4), pages 1577-1609.
    17. Poddar, Amit & Foreman, Jeff & Banerjee, Syagnik (Sy) & Ellen, Pam Scholder, 2012. "Exploring the Robin Hood effect: Moral profiteering motives for purchasing counterfeit products," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 1500-1506.
    18. Nancy T. Gallini, 2002. "The Economics of Patents: Lessons from Recent U.S. Patent Reform," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(2), pages 131-154, Spring.
    19. Hubert Pun & Jayashankar M. Swaminathan & Pengwen Hou, 2021. "Blockchain Adoption for Combating Deceptive Counterfeits," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(4), pages 864-882, April.
    20. Zhou, Yu & Gao, Xiang & Luo, Suyuan & Xiong, Yu & Ye, Niangyue, 2022. "Anti-Counterfeiting in a retail Platform: A Game-Theoretic approach," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    21. Branstetter, Lee & Fisman, Ray & Foley, C. Fritz & Saggi, Kamal, 2011. "Does intellectual property rights reform spur industrial development?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 27-36, January.
    22. Chen, Jianqiang & Hsieh, Pei-Fang & Wang, Kun, 2023. "Cracking down on the infringement and counterfeiting: Intellectual property rights and corporate innovation in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    23. Yi Qian & Qiang Gong & Yuxin Chen, 2015. "Untangling Searchable and Experiential Quality Responses to Counterfeits," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(4), pages 522-538, July.
    24. Soo-Haeng Cho & Xin Fang & Sridhar Tayur, 2015. "Combating Strategic Counterfeiters in Licit and Illicit Supply Chains," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 17(3), pages 273-289, July.
    25. Komal Nagar & Vishab Pratap Singh, 2021. "Modelling the Effects of Materialism, Ethics and Variety-Seeking Behaviour on Counterfeit Consumption of Young Consumers," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 22(4), pages 996-1009, August.
    26. Kastanakis, Minas N. & Balabanis, George, 2012. "Between the mass and the class: Antecedents of the “bandwagon” luxury consumption behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 1399-1407.
    27. Qiong Wu & Shukuan Zhao, 2021. "Determinants of Consumers’ Willingness to Buy Counterfeit Luxury Products: An Empirical Test of Linear and Inverted U-Shaped Relationship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, January.
    28. Albert G.Z. Hu & I.P.L. Png, 2013. "Patent rights and economic growth: evidence from cross-country panels of manufacturing industries," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 65(3), pages 675-698, July.
    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. Zhou, Yu & Gao, Xiang & Luo, Suyuan & Xiong, Yu & Ye, Niangyue, 2022. "Anti-Counterfeiting in a retail Platform: A Game-Theoretic approach," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    2. Gao, Sarah Yini & Lim, Wei Shi & Ye, Ziqiu, 2023. "Optimal channel strategy of luxury brands in the presence of online marketplace and copycats," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(2), pages 709-721.
    3. Li, Zhiwen & Xu, Xianhao & Bai, Qingguo & Guan, Xu & Zeng, Kuan, 2021. "The interplay between blockchain adoption and channel selection in combating counterfeits," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    4. Chen, Jianqiang & Hsieh, Pei-Fang & Wang, Kun, 2023. "Cracking down on the infringement and counterfeiting: Intellectual property rights and corporate innovation in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    5. Butticè, Vincenzo & Caviggioli, Federico & Franzoni, Chiara & Scellato, Giuseppe & Stryszowski, Piotr & Thumm, Nikolaus, 2020. "Counterfeiting in digital technologies: An empirical analysis of the economic performance and innovative activities of affected companies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(5).
    6. Hu, Shu & Fu, Ke & Wu, Tong, 2021. "The role of consumer behavior and power structures in coping with shoddy goods," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    7. He, Chao & Tan, Chunqiao & Ip, W.H. & Wu, C.H., 2023. "Combating counterfeits with the Blockchain-technology-supported platform under government enforcement," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Ghamat, Salar & Pun, Hubert & Critchley, Greg & Hou, Pengwen, 2021. "Using intellectual property agreements in the presence of supplier and third-party copycatting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 291(2), pages 680-692.
    9. Hubert Pun & Pengwen Hou, 2022. "Combating copycatting from emerging market suppliers in global supply chains," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(8), pages 3304-3319, August.
    10. Bian, Junsong & Zhang, Guoqing & Zhou, Guanghui, 2023. "The strategic impact of vertical integration on non-deceptive counterfeiting," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    11. Bin Shen & Ciwei Dong & Stefan Minner, 2022. "Combating Copycats in the Supply Chain with Permissioned Blockchain Technology," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(1), pages 138-154, January.
    12. Xiong Zhang & Xin Zhang & Xuechen Luo & Wei T. Yue, 2022. "The Impact of Revenue Models on Anti-Counterfeiting Measures for Online Intermediaries," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 1905-1928, December.
    13. Sun, Jiong & Zhang, Xing & Zhu, Qingyuan, 2020. "Counterfeiters in Online Marketplaces: Stealing Your Sales or Sharing Your Costs," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 189-202.
    14. Hubert Pun & Jayashankar M. Swaminathan & Pengwen Hou, 2021. "Blockchain Adoption for Combating Deceptive Counterfeits," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(4), pages 864-882, April.
    15. 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.
    16. Song, Lei & Meng, Yan & Chang, Hua & Li, Wenjing & Tan (Frank), Kang, 2021. "How counterfeit dominance affects luxury fashion brand owners’ perceptions: A cross-cultural examination," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 1-13.
    17. Zhongmiao Sun & Qi Xu & Jinrong Liu, 2023. "Dynamic Incentive Contract of Government for Port Enterprises to Reduce Emissions in the Blockchain Era: Considering Carbon Trading Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-40, August.
    18. Cao, Yu & Yi, Chaoqun & Wan, Guangyu & Hu, Hanli & Li, Qingsong & Wang, Shouyang, 2022. "An analysis on the role of blockchain-based platforms in agricultural supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    19. Ko, Eunju & Megehee, Carol M., 2012. "Fashion marketing of luxury brands: Recent research issues and contributions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 1395-1398.
    20. Xiaole Wu & Fuqiang Zhang & Yu Zhou, 2022. "Brand Spillover as a Marketing Strategy," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(7), pages 5348-5363, July.

    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:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8253-:d:1150478. 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.