IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i16p12161-d1213436.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

To Green or Not to Green: The E-Commerce-Delivery Question

Author

Listed:
  • Rafael Villa

    (School of Technology and Science, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain)

  • Marta Serrano

    (School of Technology and Science, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain)

  • Tomás García

    (School of Technology and Science, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain)

  • Gema González

    (School of Technology and Science, Camilo José Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

In an era in which e-commerce has become an integral facet of our lives, the delivery process has evolved into a vital part of online shopping. As the sole tangible interaction in an otherwise digital undertaking, it forms a decisive aspect of consumers’ e-commerce experience. In the face of the ever-growing prevalence of e-commerce, the ecological footprint left by delivery practices has emerged as a pressing concern. This focus is attributed not only to the environmental externalities resulting from e-commerce delivery but also due to the system’s inherent inefficiencies. As the primary beneficiaries of e-commerce, consumers form a pivotal force in driving sustainable delivery initiatives. This study embarks on an exploration of consumers’ attitudes toward environmentally friendly e-commerce-delivery practices. We aim to investigate whether consumers are willing to bear additional costs for assured green deliveries and identify which sustainable practices they perceive as most effective. A survey was conducted among e-commerce users to show their readiness to incur higher costs for green delivery and accept delayed deliveries if they supported sustainability. However, our findings reveal a conflicting scenario. While consumers display a readiness to opt for green deliveries, the price and speed of delivery emerged as more critical considerations. This study also uncovers significant discrepancies in attitudes towards green delivery based on demographic factors, such as gender and generation. Utilizing multivariate logistic regression, the study outlines the main factors that predict a willingness to pay for guaranteed green delivery. This study’s findings stress the need to balance the drive for speed and cost-effectiveness in e-commerce delivery with the urgency to adopt sustainable practices. It underscores the necessity for e-commerce platforms and logistics partners to take the lead in crafting and implementing innovative green delivery solutions while educating and incentivizing consumers to choose sustainable delivery options.

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael Villa & Marta Serrano & Tomás García & Gema González, 2023. "To Green or Not to Green: The E-Commerce-Delivery Question," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12161-:d:1213436
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/16/12161/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/16/12161/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elisa Monnot & Fanny Reniou & Béatrice Parguel & Leila Elgaaied-Gambier, 2019. "“Thinking Outside the Packaging Box”: Should Brands Consider Store Shelf Context When Eliminating Overpackaging?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 355-370, January.
    2. Vakulenko, Yulia & Shams, Poja & Hellström, Daniel & Hjort, Klas, 2019. "Service innovation in e-commerce last mile delivery: Mapping the e-customer journey," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 461-468.
    3. Margaret Sullivan Pepe, 2000. "An Interpretation for the ROC Curve and Inference Using GLM Procedures," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 56(2), pages 352-359, June.
    4. Florio, Alexandre M. & Feillet, Dominique & Hartl, Richard F., 2018. "The delivery problem: Optimizing hit rates in e-commerce deliveries," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 117(PA), pages 455-472.
    5. Guojie Xie & Lijuan Huang & Chrysostomos Apostolidis & Zuqing Huang & Weiwei Cai & Guokai Li, 2021. "Assessing Consumer Preference for Overpackaging Solutions in E-Commerce," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-21, July.
    6. Benedikt M. Brand & Theresa Maria Rausch & Jannika Brandel, 2022. "The Importance of Sustainability Aspects When Purchasing Online: Comparing Generation X and Generation Z," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-28, May.
    7. Regina Frei & Lisa Jack & Sally-Ann Krzyzaniak, 2022. "Mapping Product Returns Processes in Multichannel Retailing: Challenges and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, January.
    8. Zhang, Yufei & Voorhees, Clay M. & Lin, Chen & Chiang, Jeongwen & Hult, G.Tomas M. & Calantone, Roger J., 2022. "Information Search and Product Returns Across Mobile and Traditional Online Channels," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 260-276.
    9. Marco Melacini & Elena Tappia, 2018. "A Critical Comparison of Alternative Distribution Configurations in Omni-Channel Retailing in Terms of Cost and Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, January.
    10. Massimo Di Gangi & Antonio Polimeni & Orlando Marco Belcore, 2023. "Freight Distribution in Small Islands: Integration between Naval Services and Parcel Lockers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-15, May.
    11. Tokar, Travis & Jensen, Robert & Williams, Brent D., 2021. "A guide to the seen costs and unseen benefits of e-commerce," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 323-332.
    12. Pham, Thi Song Hanh & Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal, 2017. "Antecedents and consequences of online customer satisfaction: A holistic process perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 332-342.
    13. Jennifer Johnson Jorgensen & Katelyn Sorensen, 2021. "Negative e-WOM Resulting from Political Posts on Social Media: A Case Study of a Small Retailer’s Struggle over Time," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-11, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Milioti, Christina & Pramatari, Katerina & Kelepouri, Ioanna, 2020. "Modelling consumers’ acceptance for the click and collect service," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    2. Daniel J. Luckett & Eric B. Laber & Samer S. El‐Kamary & Cheng Fan & Ravi Jhaveri & Charles M. Perou & Fatma M. Shebl & Michael R. Kosorok, 2021. "Receiver operating characteristic curves and confidence bands for support vector machines," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 77(4), pages 1422-1430, December.
    3. Y. Huang & M. S. Pepe, 2009. "A Parametric ROC Model-Based Approach for Evaluating the Predictiveness of Continuous Markers in Case–Control Studies," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 65(4), pages 1133-1144, December.
    4. Riharsono Prastyantoro & Heru Purboyo Hidayat Putro & Gatot Yudoko & Puspita Dirgahayani, 2022. "E-Commerce Parcel Distribution in Urban Areas with Sustainable Performance Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Beom Seuk Hwang & Zhen Chen, 2015. "An Integrated Bayesian Nonparametric Approach for Stochastic and Variability Orders in ROC Curve Estimation: An Application to Endometriosis Diagnosis," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 110(511), pages 923-934, September.
    6. Paulo Rita & Ricardo F. Ramos, 2022. "Global Research Trends in Consumer Behavior and Sustainability in E-Commerce: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Knowledge Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Kandula, Shanthan & Krishnamoorthy, Srikumar & Roy, Debjit, 2020. "A Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics Framework for Efficient E-Commerce Order Delivery," IIMA Working Papers WP 2020-11-01, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    8. Mahavarpour, Nasrin & Marvi, Reza & Foroudi, Pantea, 2023. "A Brief History of Service Innovation: The evolution of past, present, and future of service innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    9. Mainardes, Emerson Wagner & Coutinho, Ananda Raquel Silva & Alves, Helena Maria Batista, 2023. "The influence of the ethics of E-retailers on online customer experience and customer satisfaction," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    10. Jin, Hua & Lu, Ying, 2009. "The ROC region of a regression tree," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(7), pages 936-942, April.
    11. Holly Janes & Margaret S. Pepe, 2008. "Matching in Studies of Classification Accuracy: Implications for Analysis, Efficiency, and Assessment of Incremental Value," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 64(1), pages 1-9, March.
    12. Al-Adwan, Ahmad Samed & Al-Debei, Mutaz M. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2022. "E-commerce in high uncertainty avoidance cultures: The driving forces of repurchase and word-of-mouth intentions," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Sisi Wu & Xuan Gong & Yunfei Wang & Jian Cao, 2022. "Consumer Cognition and Management Perspective on Express Packaging Pollution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-23, April.
    14. Ziyi Li & Yijian Huang & Dattatraya Patil & Martin G. Sanda, 2023. "Covariate adjustment in continuous biomarker assessment," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 79(1), pages 39-48, March.
    15. Sergio Pardo-Jaramillo & Andrés Muñoz-Villamizar & Ignacio Osuna & Rolando Roncancio, 2020. "Mapping Research on Customer Centricity and Sustainable Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Justina Sidlauskiene & Yannick Joye & Vilte Auruskeviciene, 2023. "AI-based chatbots in conversational commerce and their effects on product and price perceptions," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-21, December.
    17. Vijoleta Vrhovac & Stana Vasić & Stevan Milisavljević & Branislav Dudić & Peter Štarchoň & Marina Žižakov, 2023. "Measuring E-Commerce User Experience in the Last-Mile Delivery," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, March.
    18. Magdalena Mucowska, 2021. "Trends of Environmentally Sustainable Solutions of Urban Last-Mile Deliveries on the E-Commerce Market—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-26, May.
    19. Hokey Min, 2021. "Exploring Omni-Channels for Customer-Centric e-Tailing," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-10, May.
    20. Dumez, Dorian & Lehuédé, Fabien & Péton, Olivier, 2021. "A large neighborhood search approach to the vehicle routing problem with delivery options," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 103-132.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12161-:d:1213436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.