The green last mile: How does providing a sustainable delivery method affect purchase intentions in B2C ecommerce?

Abstract

The thesis highlights an understanding of the green last mile, and how providing a sustainable delivery method affect purchase intentions in B2C e-commerce. The study examined consumers purchase intentions in different treatment conditions where one group had the ability to choose a sustainable delivery method, the other group did not. In addition, the groups were split into four, with only half of the respondents having sustainable products in their shopping bags. Mediating effects potentially explaining the relationship between sustainable delivery method and purchase intentions analyzed was environmental consciousness, inconvenience, anticipated guilt and perceived sense of responsibility, including a possible moderator; sustainability level of products. Our thesis discovered that the ability to choose a sustainable delivery method did not increase purchase intentions. To make home deliveries more sustainable, it might be a necessity to create legislation demanding this effort from online retailers, and not place the responsibility on the end consumer.