Decision-making of dual-channel reverse supply chain for end-of-life vehicles considering consumer preferences

End-of-life vehicles (ELVs) pose environmental pollution and sustainability risks. Establishing appropriate recycling channels for ELVs is crucial for the operational management of the reverse supply chain (RSC). With the potential to provide convenient services to consumers, online recycling methods are gradually replacing traditional ones in the ELVs recycling process. Therefore, this study constructs three recycling models: traditional offline recycling channel, online recycling channel, and dual online and offline recycling channels. Through the application of Stackelberg game theory and numerical experiments, we have examined the influence of consumer channel preferences on the selection of recycling channels. The results indicate that the adoption of dual-channel recycling design results in optimal profits for both re-manufacturers and the RSC. This study provides a basis for recycling channel design from three perspectives: optimizing re-manufacturer profits, maximizing RSC recycling quantity, and optimizing RSC profits.