The impact of information disclosure and smart technology integration on e-retailing performance: A production delivery policy framework

Abstract

The electronic retailers face distinct challenges in information sharing compared to their purely offline counterparts, particularly in transparently communicating their environmental practices to increasingly eco-conscious consumers. This complexity increases in e-retailing due to the absence of direct interaction and makes it difficult for consumers to evaluate the sustainability efforts of retailing channel’s stakeholders. In response to it, manufacturers and e-retailers are leveraging social media and blockchain technology for personalized advertising to bridge this information transparency gap. This research presents a sustainable multi-item integrated model for manufacturer–retailer collaboration in e-retailing by incorporating multiple delivery policies and investments in technology aimed at information disclosure and environmental footprint reduction. The manufacturer adopts a smart production system and reuse returned goods in the manufacturing process while investing in Green Emissions Reduction Technology. Meanwhile, the e-retailer enhances product demand through Information Disclosure Technology on social media and blockchain by showcasing their environmental protection efforts. By employing a hybrid analytic-metaheuristic approach, we determine optimal production and delivery policies to improve green consumer service under varying budgetary and spatial constraints. The results demonstrate a 4.39% increase in online consumer demand through information sharing and a 3.86% improvement in profitability of the collaborative retailing system under single-setup multi-delivery policy that confirms robustness of the proposed model. Scenario analysis further provides decision-makers with actionable insights by showcasing 8.44% increment in the system profit by converting traditional production into smart production system. Moreover, the sensitivity of the proposed model to balancing the technology investments among emission control and information disclosure efforts suggests keeping track of the efficiency parameters of these investment options before making technology budget allocations.