We study a model of film distribution and consumption. The studio can release two goods, a theatrical version and a video version, and has to decide on its versioning and sequencing strategy. In contrast with the previous literature, we allow for the possibility that some consumers may watch...

This research aims to provide insights into the determinants of channel profitability and the relative power in the channel by considering consumer demand and the interactions between manufacturers and retailers in an equilibrium model. We use the Nash bargaining solution to determine wholesale...

This paper examines two ways channel members at the manufacturing and retail ends deal with asymmetric information in the context of new product introduction. A manufacturer who has private information that demand for a new product will be high can differentiate itself from a manufacturer less...

Channel coordination and, more generally, coordination of activities between interdependent economic agents is even more important today than when the paper was published more than 20 years ago. One reason is the trend toward globalization and outsourcing caused, in part, by the development of...

Private labels (PLs) are ubiquitous in several categories, including groceries, apparel, and appliances. However, existing empirical work has not examined the differential impact of various upstream supply arrangements for PL products or the strategic motives for PL supply. To do so requires one...

This paper discusses the problem of choosing a vertical marketing channel in a product-differentiated duopolistic market. Firms choose product price and the form of the marketing channel to maximize profits. It is shown that integration of the marketing function results in greater price...

We consider the optimal two-part tariff contract between a manufacturer and a retailer. We show that retail competition (in the presence of either fixed costs or bargaining power) may lead to slotting allowances in an optimal contract, even with a monopoly manufacturer and no information...

Manufacturers and distributors in marketing channels commonly establish prices, margins, and other trade terms through negotiations. These negotiations have significant impact on channel members' profit streams over the duration of the business relationship. We consider a situation where a...

When designing a product line, a manufacturer is often aware that it does not control the ultimate targeting of the products in the line to the different consumer segments. While the manufacturers can attempt to influence the target customers through communications in appropriate media, product...

The retail trade today is increasingly dominated by large, centrally managed “power retailers.” In this paper, we develop a channel model in the presence of a dominant retailer to examine how a manufacturer can best coordinate such a channel. We show that such a channel can be coordinated to...