Parcel Lockers - A Solution to the Last Mile Problem?

Abstract

The rise of e-commerce makes shopping easier than ever. It also puts pressure on logistic service providers, their employees, traffic and the environment. Parcel deliveries to service points or parcel lockers could release some of this pressure. However, service points are only scarcely used by Dutch consumers, while parcel lockers still lack a dense network. In addition, it is unclear how Dutch consumers can be persuaded to use these options more, and what kind of travel mode they will use for their parcel pick-ups. Two stated choice experiments were constructed to find out which factors influence Dutch consumer preferences for different delivery methods as well as the choice for a travel mode to pick-up a parcel. The results indicate that delivery prices and delivery moments are important factors that influence consumer choices for a delivery option. Several background characteristics, like age and current e-shopping behaviour, also have an influence. For the pick-up mode choices, distance and weight were most important. Here current travel behaviour plays a large role as well. There is potential in setting prices and delivery moments such that the self-pickup methods are used more. Building a dense parcel locker network can further accelerate this, and will also favour pick-up modes like walking and cycling. Future research should, therefore, focus on the complex situation in the Dutch parcel market, in order to analyse how more collaboration between the different parties in this sector can be improved such that prices, delivery moment and distances to pick-up points favour pick-up methods more.