A cost-based tool for the comparison of different e-grocery supply chain strategies

Martina Calzavara, Serena Finco, Alessandro Persona and Ilenia Zennaro

International Journal of Production Economics, 2023, vol. 262, issue C

Abstract: E-commerce is always a more diffused sales channel around the whole world market. The grocery market has been interested in the expansion of this phenomenon, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, when electronic grocery (e-grocery) shopping increased considerably. Moreover, it has remained a diffused selling channel also later, in the non-emergency state. To satisfy this specific market demand, grocery chains are facing the need for a redesign with a new logistic perspective. A grocer can carry out online orders in several ways; it can process them directly in stores using internal staff to shop from the shelves during off-peak hours. Alternatively, some local stores can be closed to customers and dedicated to online orders (dark stores). Another strategy is to carry out online orders from a single distribution centre (e-hub), using stores to complete orders with very fresh products and from which to carry out deliveries. Finally, online orders can be wholly managed by multi e-hubs. Each solution has different logistics costs and performances, influenced by online demand.

Keywords: e-commerce; e-grocery; Logistics costs; Food supply chain; Network design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:proeco:v:262:y:2023:i:c:s0925527323001317

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2023.108899

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