Impact of blockchain technology on product quality decisions in a dual-channel supply chain under reciprocal preference

This paper incorporates reciprocal preferences into a dual-channel supply chain model, where the manufacturer acts as the Stackelberg leader and the online retailer as the follower. It analyzes product quality and pricing decisions, as well as the conditions for blockchain adoption, with key results verified through numerical experiments. The findings indicate that market demand, consumer quality sensitivity, and channel competition positively affect the manufacturer’s incentive to adopt blockchain technology. When the quality cost coefficient is low, the manufacturer’s reciprocity improves product quality, while the retailer’s reciprocity mitigates double marginalization caused by high costs and wholesale prices. When the coefficient is high, the manufacturer reduces the wholesale price, whereas the retailer’s reciprocity intensifies double marginalization. Under certain conditions, retailer-only reciprocity can increase both parties’ profits and encourage blockchain adoption, while the manufacturer’s reciprocity always reduces its own profit.