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Identifying the geography of online shopping adoption in Belgium

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  • Beckers, Joris
  • Cárdenas, Ivan
  • Verhetsel, Ann

Abstract

The widespread adoption of the internet as retail channel is impacting a range of stakeholders. Retailers are expected to sell online, logistics operators are required to reconfigure their supply chain and public authorities try to keep local retail competitive while simultaneously attempt to manage the increase in freight transport. Within this context, a growing body of research is studying the socio-economic profile of the online shopper and the spatial variation in the demand for B2C goods. Yet, as can be expected for a relatively new evolution, little consensus exist. Therefore, in this paper, with data from the national retail federation on online shopping behaviour, we add to this growing field by first analysing the relation between socio-economic characteristics and the willingness to shop online. By mapping these characteristics, we then construct the geography of online shopping adoption in Belgium. Finally, we assess the impacts of this specific geography for the stakeholders that are adapting to this new reality. We conclude firstly that the well-educated man in his thirties with a well-paid job has the highest probability to shop online, independent of the level of urbanisation of the area he resides. Secondly, we predict over- and underestimations of the potential online buyers of up to 50% when assuming a homogeneous e-commerce penetration, especially in poorer urban areas. This implies a serious negligence for e-commerce practitioners and academics when ignoring the specific geography of the online shopping adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Beckers, Joris & Cárdenas, Ivan & Verhetsel, Ann, 2018. "Identifying the geography of online shopping adoption in Belgium," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 33-41.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:45:y:2018:i:c:p:33-41
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.08.006
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    Cited by:

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    3. Wang, Kaili & Gao, Ya & Liu, Yicong & Nurul Habib, Khandker, 2023. "Exploring the choice between in-store versus online grocery shopping through an application of Semi-Compensatory Independent Availability Logit (SCIAL) model with latent variables," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    4. Zhouying Song, 2022. "The geography of online shopping in China and its key drivers," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 49(1), pages 259-274, January.
    5. Rui Colaço & João de Abreu e Silva, 2023. "Exploring the role of accessibility in shaping retail location using space syntax measures: A panel-data analysis in Lisbon, 1995–2010," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 50(5), pages 1345-1360, June.
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    7. Frasquet, Marta & Ieva, Marco & Ziliani, Cristina, 2021. "Online channel adoption in supermarket retailing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    8. Juan Ramón López Soler & Panayotis Christidis & José Manuel Vassallo, 2021. "Teleworking and Online Shopping: Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Their Impact on Transport Demand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-24, June.
    9. Muhammad Sajid Mehmood & Gang Li & Annan Jin & Adnanul Rehman & V P I S Wijeratne & Zeeshan Zafar & Ahsan Riaz Khan & Fahad Ali Khan, 2021. "The spatial coupling effect between urban street network’s centrality and collection & delivery points: A spatial design network analysis-based study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-21, May.
    10. Beckers, Joris & Weekx, Simon & Beutels, Philippe & Verhetsel, Ann, 2021. "COVID-19 and retail: The catalyst for e-commerce in Belgium?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    11. Fan Wang & Mingfeng Wang & Shichen Yuan, 2021. "Spatial Diffusion of E-Commerce in China’s Counties: Based on the Perspective of Regional Inequality," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, October.
    12. Bart Geurden & Jeroen Cant & Joris Beckers, 2022. "Food Accessibility in the Suburbs of the Metropolitan City of Antwerp (Belgium): A Factor of Concern in Local Public Health and Active and Healthy Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, November.
    13. Tomas Hanell, 2022. "Unmet Aspirations and Urban Malaise," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 83-103, November.
    14. Shao, Rui & Derudder, Ben & Witlox, Frank, 2022. "The geography of e-shopping in China: On the role of physical and virtual accessibility," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Colaço, Rui & de Abreu e Silva, João, 2022. "Exploring the e-shopping geography of Lisbon: Assessing online shopping adoption for retail purchases and food deliveries using a 7-day shopping survey," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    16. Hood, Nick & Urquhart, Ryan & Newing, Andy & Heppenstall, Alison, 2020. "Sociodemographic and spatial disaggregation of e-commerce channel use in the grocery market in Great Britain," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    17. Dumitru (Boboc) Andreea - Larisa & Moise Daniel, 2018. "Marketing Study: Online Purchase Trends Regarding Smart Devices," International Conference on Marketing and Business Development Journal, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(2), pages 106-114, December.
    18. Mahama-Musah, Fuseina & Schoutteet, Penelope & Vanhaverbeke, Lieselot, 2021. "Using online data for offline decisions: A geostatistical approach for evaluating the patronage potential of a baby-care retailer," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    19. Beckers, Joris & Cardenas, Ivan & Sanchez-Diaz, Ivan, 2022. "Managing household freight: The impact of online shopping on residential freight trips," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 299-311.
    20. Kim, Changju & Kim, Woonho & Nakami, Shinya, 2022. "Do online sales channels save brands of global companies from consumer boycotts? A geographical analysis," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    21. Canova, Luciano & Nicolini, Marcella, 2019. "Online price search across desktop and mobile devices: Evidence on cyberslacking and weather effects," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 32-39.

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