Exploring the relationship between e-shopping and goods delivery via transport superapps and daily time use: insights from Indonesian cities

Various information and communication technology (ICT) services, such as e-shopping and goods delivery, have transformed individuals’ daily activities by reshaping how people allocate their time. Within transport super-apps (TSAs), e-shopping and goods delivery are typically offered together but represent distinct services, with e-shopping involving online purchasing and goods delivery referring to the transport of items independent of a retail transaction. While most studies focus on how e-shopping and goods delivery impact physical activities like in-store shopping, this study explores how these services associated with broader individual time allocation across various activities and locations. This research uses TSAs which are multifunctional, in Indonesia as a case study and includes non-TSA users as a reference group. The study employs a one-week time-use and app-use diary from TSA users and non-users across four Indonesian cities, analysed with a multiple discrete–continuous extreme value model with inverse probability weights. The analysis suggests that shop and delivery services are associated with rebound effects, which influence how time is allocated across various activities and locations, and vary according to socio-demographic and residential characteristics. Increased use is associated with more time spent on at-home mandatory activities among workers and greater leisure participation among men and individuals of working age. In larger cities such as Jakarta, more frequent use of these services is associated with longer durations of out-of-home mandatory activities. Further, the results indicate that out-of-home TSA usage is associated with reduced time spent on in-home leisure and increased engagement in out-of-home leisure activities, suggesting that individuals who are already active outside the home may integrate digital services into their existing activity patterns. In contrast, in-home TSA usage is associated with lower participation in out-of-home activities, indicating that individuals who rely on in-home services may be less inclined to engage in activities outside the home. The relationships between service usage and time allocation appear to vary depending on whether the services are used at home or outside, highlighting the importance of locational context. The findings suggest that integrated mixed-use developments and the provision of local leisure spaces can better align daily activity patterns with the use of TSA services, reflecting how digital platforms reshape the organisation of activities and associated travel demand. At the same time, location-specific strategies, such as promoting targeted e-shopping adoption in smaller cities, expanding accessible in-store options in larger cities, and prioritising sustainable delivery technologies in megacities, are essential to manage rebound effects and decarbonise urban travel and logistics systems.