Title: E-marketing under the adverse selection environment: model and case study

Authors: Yong Pan

Addresses: School of E-Commerce and Logistics Management, Henan University of Economics and Law, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

Abstract: Information asymmetry in the e-commerce market causes an adverse selection phenomenon ('lemons' problem) that has a negative impact on e-marketing. Based on the classic adverse selection model, this paper set up e-marketing models. The models fully took into account the qualitative preference of e-consumers and the role of quality intermediaries under adverse selection environments. Actual data from Taobao serves as a case study to analyse the characteristics of adverse selection. The results show that reputation evaluation systems and business alliance system can reduce the adverse selection problem in e-commerce market. The quality intermediary as a trusted third party or market quality expert can help eliminate cyber lemons. However, along with the e-marketing strategy counteracting adverse selection, there are some phenomena strengthening consumers' distrust. This may result in a vicious cycle and affect the function of e-marketing. This paper analyses the existing issues and suggests solutions to enable e-sellers and e-buyers to trade credibly.

Keywords: adverse selection; qualitative preference; quality intermediaries; China; e-commerce markets; electronic commerce; e-marketing; electronic marketing; information asymmetry; modelling; consumer preferences; reputation evaluation; business alliances; trusted third parties; market quality experts; cyber lemons.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2014.065076

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2014 Vol.14 No.1/2, pp.111 - 128

Received: 21 Oct 2013
Accepted: 21 Mar 2014
Published online: 29 Oct 2014 *

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