Heterogeneous products operation decisions of online dual-channel supply chain considering online reviews under different financing modes

This research examines the operation decisions of the online supply chain for heterogeneous products under different financing modes: e-commerce platform financing or bank financing, when manufacturers face funding constraints. Considering the manufacturer’s adoption of differentiated channel strategies when providing heterogeneous products is also considered, and combined with the impact of online reviews on consumer utility, an e-commerce platform online dual-channel financing model is constructed. The research findings are as follows: (i) when the effectiveness of online reviews differs within a certain range, the equilibrium solution exists. If the relative interest rates of the e-commerce platforms and bank change within a certain range, the same financing mode can bring mutual benefits to both the manufacturer and e-commerce platform, resulting in a “win–win” situation. (ii) If the interest rates under both financing modes are the same, the e-commerce platform financing mode has a higher wholesale price, but the difference in retail prices of distribution products depends on the costs difference between the two products, and at this point, the manufacturer will select e-commerce platform financing mode. (iii) At the optimal interest rate, when the cost of heterogeneous products is the same, the e-commerce platform consistently offers a more favorable interest rate compared to the bank’s optimal rate. when the e-commerce platform’s commission and the positive difference in product reviews is large, the manufacturer will choose e-commerce platform financing mode. Under the e-commerce platform financing mode, both the manufacturer and e-commerce platform are willing to provide lower retail prices to attract more consumers.