Determinants of consumer behavior in switching to environmentally sustainable delivery alternatives

Abstract

The ease of access to an increasingly diversified market encourages more and more customers to opt for digital transactions instead of going to physical stores. However, the dynamics of this type of shopping promote the transport of goods in increasingly shorter windows, with frequent and small shipments and increments in truck mileages, exacerbating externalities. A debate is being formed on how to make delivery purchasing processes more sustainable by promoting lowemissions alternatives. This research addresses the problem from the last stage of the logistics chain, home delivery. A stated preference survey was conducted considering four alternatives: conventional delivery, home delivery in an environmentally friendly vehicle, locker collection, and in-store collection. A hybrid choice model was estimated to assess the adoption intentions of individuals. Results suggest that consumer choice preferences favored eco-friendly home delivery over pickup in stores and lockers. Shipping costs, delivery time, and distance to the pickup site are relevant attributes in consumers' choice decisions. Moreover, their preferences are sensitive to variations in these factors, as reflected in consumers' willingness to pay for them. Regarding emission savings, this attribute is significantly influential only when a low-emission vehicle is used for delivery. Regarding the influence of the latent variables, it was found that greater environmental consciousness promotes the use of greener alternatives. Meanwhile, a higher perceived risk associated with delivery pickup options, especially in the case of the locker, discourages their adoption, while time and money-based incentives encourage their use. These findings provide valuable insights into how to promote the use of sustainable delivery options, which is of interest to online retailers and stakeholders.