Pricing Strategy for Crowdsourced Delivery Service Platform Considering Demand Heterogeneity: Subscription or Pay-Per-Transaction

Yafei Yang (), Yi Zhang, Shouting Zhao () and Samuel Shuai Liu ()
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Yafei Yang: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, P. R. China
Yi Zhang: Department of Purchasing Management, School of Logistics, Beijing Wuzi University, Beijing 101149, P. R. China
Shouting Zhao: Department of Purchasing Management, School of Logistics, Beijing Wuzi University, Beijing 101149, P. R. China
Samuel Shuai Liu: Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China

Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), 2025, vol. 42, issue 01, 1-20

Abstract: Subscription pricing strategies are increasingly adopted by crowdsourcing delivery platforms, allowing subscribers to pay a fixed upfront fee for unlimited future services. This paper explores the impact of demand heterogeneity and transaction costs on the comparison between subscription pricing and pay-per-transaction pricing. We construct and solve models to obtain optimal service prices, delivery commissions, and profits under both strategies. Our findings indicate that the subscription strategy is more effective at attracting consumers compared to the pay-per-transaction strategy. Specifically, the subscription strategy can lower commission rates and reduce the number of deliverers required, while generating higher surplus for both consumers and deliverers when transaction costs are high. Moreover, the subscription strategy maintains a profit advantage when demand heterogeneity is low and transaction costs are high. This study offers valuable insights into pricing decisions, strategy selection, and operational performance optimization, aiding delivery service platforms in better targeting consumers and products.

Keywords: Crowdsourced delivery; subscription pricing; pay-per-transaction; consumer demand heterogeneity; transaction cost (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1142/S0217595925400019

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