Strategic Rationing of E-Commerce Enterprises: Market Demand Shifting and Store Change Rate

Abstract

As e-commerce grows rapidly, frequent promotional activities on platforms lead to a surge in orders, needing new corporate operational strategies. This paper develops a strategic rationing decision-making model for e-commerce firms during major promotions, focusing on market demand shifts and store-switching rates. It analyzes the impact of discounts, operating costs, and promotion frequency on profits, consumer numbers, and reputation. The study reveals that the optimal satisfaction rate decreases with higher discounts and is influenced by operating costs, while excessive promotions and low satisfaction rates can damage reputation. Contributions include offering a new perspective on e-commerce rationing, enhancing traditional theory with reputation considerations, creating a realistic multi-period model, and validating the model's utility through numerical analysis. This research aids e-commerce firms in strategic planning and enriches academic discourse with new theoretical and empirical approaches.