From B2B to B2B2C: Power Dynamics and Value Co-Creation in Retailer-Platform Relationships

The rapid expansion of online platforms has transformed traditional business-to-business interactions into more nuanced business-to-consumer interactions, in which platforms and retailers work together to provide value to end users. This research utilises the theories of platform ecosystems, resource reliance, and service-dominant logic to investigate how governance structures and power imbalance affect the performance and collaborative practices of retailer-platform dyads. A multi-study design based on mixed-methods was employed. Research 1 made use of an exploratory multiple-case research to examine the interactions between platforms and retailers, looking specifically at how Amazon, Shopify Plus, and Mirakl were integrated. Using structural equation modeling and survey data from 362 store managers, Study 2 tested the assumptions that had been derived. Based on anonymised platform data collected over 24 months, research 3 used a longitudinal difference-in-differences research design. While coercive governance may lead to short-term compliance gains, the research shows that non-coercive power benefits prioritize co-creation and long-term relationship performance, whereas the latter reduces commitment.