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Applying a middle-range theorizing to premises of signaling theory and the scarcity principle, this study aims to investigate the mechanisms and effects of different patterns of post-stockout disclosures that highlight the limited supply and high quality of a durable good on consumer satisfaction with the shopping experience and purchase intention, mediated by consumer perceived product scarcity.

The hypotheses are tested with two scenario-based experiments. The first experiment—a between-subjects design—explores the effect of post-stockout disclosures on consumers' perceived scarcity, satisfaction, and purchase intention. The second experiment – a within-subject design – examines the impact of time on consumer responses to stockouts.

Results indicate that perceived product scarcity mediates the relationship between post-stockout disclosures and consumer outcomes. Specifically, post-stockout disclosures present an indirect positive effect on consumer purchase intention, despite reducing satisfaction beyond the effects of the stockout. These results are consistent when disclosures are sent through multiple channels. Results also show that consumers' perceived scarcity and purchase intention decrease over time while dissatisfaction levels remain the same when stockouts persist.

Even though consumers will be dissatisfied upon experiencing a stockout, specific patterns of post-stockout disclosures can be a valuable strategy for consumer retention and lost sales prevention.

While recent consumer-centric supply chain management literature has investigated mitigation strategies of detrimental consumer response to stockouts, such as “save-the-sale” tactics and price discounts, the mechanisms and effects of different patterns of post-stockouts disclosures highlighting the limited supply and high quality of the product are yet to be investigated.

Considering the transformational impact of technological advances in modern retail on the consumer experience and the associated growth of experimental studies in consumer-centric supply chain management (SCM) research, this paper presents a practical overview of key steps in the design of scenario-based experiments (SBEs) in the context of retail SCM.

Following a conceptual approach, this paper discusses essential aspects in the designing process, including the connection to theory, vignette design considerations, experimental checks and ensuring managerial relevance.

This paper presents a resource for SCM researchers in their pursuit of designing rigorous, context-focused SBEs in consumer-centric retail SCM research. Major design considerations and potential pitfalls are highlighted.

A well-designed experiment, including its vignettes, manipulations and checks, offers strong potential to inform actionable guidance for managers in the feasibility, strategy design, customization and consumer segmentation of retail SCM strategies.

This paper connects the steps in the design of SBEs to consumer-centric retail SCM questions, supporting future research in this realm.

While remanufactured products represent an increasingly researched phenomenon in the literature, not much is known about consumers' understanding and acceptance of such products. This study explores this issue in the context of the theory of perceived risk (TPR), investigating return policy leniency and distribution channel choice as potential factors to foster remanufactured products' sales.

This research utilizes an experimental design composed of a pre-test and a scenario-based main experiment to explore how return policy leniency might mitigate consumers' perceived risk and how their related purchase intention differs across two types of retail distribution channel structures (i.e. brick-and-mortar vs. online).

The investigation into the efficacy of return policy leniency within two retail distribution channel settings (i.e. brick-and-mortar vs. online) illustrates that providing a lenient return policy is an effective “cue” in increasing consumer purchase intention for remanufactured products. While prior literature has established that consumers value return policy leniency for new products, the authors provide empirical evidence that this preference also applies to remanufactured products. Notably, that return policy preference holds true in both channel settings (i.e. brick-and-mortar vs. online) under consideration. Additionally, and contrary to the authors’ predictions, consumers perceived remanufactured products sold via both channel settings as equally risky, thus highlighting that both are appropriate distribution channels for remanufactured products. Finally, while research on new products provides some initial guidance on consumer perceptions of quality and risk, the study provides empirical evidence into the difference of perceived risk with regard to new versus remanufactured products.

By employing the TPR, this research explored the role played by two supply chain management related factors (returns policy and channel structure) in reducing consumer's perceived risk and increasing purchase intention. In doing so, this study answers the call for more consumer-based supply chain management research in a controlled experimental research setting.

The growth of last-mile delivery presents challenges like environmental impact, operational inefficiencies and risks of theft or damage. This study explores parcel locker adoption as a potential solution, focusing on the roles of information framing and consumer characteristics in influencing consumer adoption. It offers insights into prioritizing benefits (environmental, security, convenience) in information framing and which consumer traits, such as regulatory focus and gender, to consider in designing and promoting parcel locker networks.

We test our hypotheses with three scenario-based experiments. The first focuses on the key parcel locker benefit of environmental sustainability framing, the second on security framing and the third on convenience framing.

Our results show that consumers are more likely to use parcel locker delivery when exposed to loss-framed environmental or security information, particularly when they are male. Additionally, promotion-focused individuals, particularly males, are the most likely users when presented with loss-framed messages emphasizing the inconvenience and insecurity of home delivery.

Our findings produce a middle range theory of gender and regulatory focus in the context of consumer participation in parcel locker delivery. Specifically, we find that gender and regulatory focus influence consumer reactions to information disclosure, with loss-framed information more strongly influencing consumer intent for promotion-focused individuals.

Managers seeking to introduce parcel lockers or expand existing parcel locker networks should incorporate security and convenience into their locker network decisions. Initial locker bays should be located in or near sites that experience high consumer traffic from promotion-focused males. Additionally, information disclosed should highlight these security and convenience benefits compared to the relative inconvenience and risk associated with home delivery.

While information disclosures often emphasize the environmental benefits associated with parcel locker use, likely users find other benefits more convincing. Highlighting these alternative factors and incorporating them into parcel locker network design will still allow for environmental benefits, including carrier CO2 reduction, to emerge from increased parcel locker use. As locker networks become more established, expanding the network to cater to additional consumers may allow service providers to focus information on environmental benefits.

Prior research assumes an existing parcel locker network or consumer base when studying network design and adoption. This study highlights the importance of tailoring information to consumer characteristics, emphasizing network features that best align with potential parcel locker users. Specifically, we found gender and regulatory focus to influence consumer reaction to information disclosure, where loss-framed information is the most influential particularly for promotion-focus individuals.

The purpose of this research is to analyse the LSQ in the context of three different omni-channel purchasing scenarios while considering four dimensions (timeliness, availability, condition and return of the product) and to assess their impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. In addition, an evaluation of the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty in the mentioned omni-channel scenarios is investigated.

A mixed two-phase research methodology is proposed: an initial qualitative analysis with six focus groups followed by quantitative research through surveys with a sample of 323 individuals. The proposed scales were tested for three purchase scenarios: “buy-online-ship-direct” (BOSD), “buy-online-pickup-in-store” (BOPS) and “buy-in-store-ship-direct” (BSSD). The data were analysed using partial-least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) techniques.

In an omni-channel context, the most important element of the logistics service deriving in satisfaction was timeliness for all the scenarios. The return-of-product dimension of LSQ was relevant for satisfaction in “ship-direct” scenarios, while the availability dimension was only relevant for customer loyalty in the BOPS scenario. Customer satisfaction had a positive impact on loyalty in the three purchasing scenarios.

These results might provide guidance to managers in order to improve not only logistics procedures and processes but also their relationships with their customers. Moreover, retailers need to account for return policies in ship-direct channels, prioritize punctuality and adapt delivery terms to ensure product availability.

This work represents a progress in LSQ research in the B2C omni-channel environment by extending its study to a previously untested purchasing scenario (BOSD) and including a fundamental and insufficiently explored dimension of the LSQ: the return.