Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on determining the optimal sales price for non-instantaneous deterioration items according to consideration of freshness and demand. Design/methodology/approach In this model, the authors have described the demand function which is dependent on price as well time. The products that the deterioration is considered as non-instantaneous have a determinate shelf life, and their demand rate will decrease over time after the beginning of the selling period. This paper depicts that the total profit of non-instantaneous deterioration items using the dynamic pricing strategy is higher than that using fixed pricing strategy. Findings Finally, to illustrate and validate the model, the authors have used some numerical examples. A new freshness function and the model to study pricing policy are developed as well applied to solve managerial decision problems. Originality/value This paper complements the lack of the existing theoretical research of pricing for non-instantaneous deterioration items under an e-commerce environment. A new freshness function and the model to study pricing policy are developed as well applied to solve managerial decision problems.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a new method and model for constructing a new decision-making paradigm of Medicare, which can not only satisfy the needs of the sick people but also reduce the possibility of people slipping back to poverty due to diseases under the policy of Targeted Poverty Alleviation (TPA) of China. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses the traditional supply chain theory to analyze the Medicare of impoverished people with the policy of TPA of China and transforms it into a multi-layer supply chain optimization decision-making problem. First, a nonlinear integer programming model for poor people’s Medicare decision with opportunity constraints is constructed. To facilitate the solution of the optimal decision scheme, the abovementioned model is transformed into a linear integer programming model with opportunity constraints by using the Newsvendor model for reference. Meanwhile, the scope of the inventory model is discussed, for it can be combined with the construction of the medical insurance system better. Second, the theoretical model is applied to the practical problem. Finally, based on the results of the theoretical model applying the practical problem, we give further improvement and modification of the theoretical model applies it to the actual situation further. Findings This paper presents a theoretical model about determine the optimal the inventory, under the framework of traditional supply chain decision-making, for it can be combined with the construction of the medical insurance system better. The theoretical model is applied to the practical problem of the fight against poverty in XX County, China. By using the actual data and MATLAB, optimal decision scheme is obtained. Originality/value There are two aspects of value. On the one hand, this paper provides a new way to construct a Medicare system of impoverished people with TPA of China. On the other hand, this paper tries making a new way to handle the storage of medicines and related medical devices at basic standard clinics decision-making problems based on above mentioned Medicare system.