The Role of Packaging in Sustainable Omnichannel Returns—The Perspective of Young Consumers in Poland

Łukasz Hadaś, Roman Domański, Hubert Wojciechowski, Arkadiusz Majewski and Jacek Lewandowicz ()
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Łukasz Hadaś: Institute of Logistics, Faculty of Engineering Management, Poznan University of Technology, Jacka Rychlewskiego 2, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Roman Domański: Institute of Logistics, Faculty of Engineering Management, Poznan University of Technology, Jacka Rychlewskiego 2, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Hubert Wojciechowski: Institute of Logistics, Faculty of Engineering Management, Poznan University of Technology, Jacka Rychlewskiego 2, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Arkadiusz Majewski: Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 7, 60-806 Poznań, Poland
Jacek Lewandowicz: Institute of Logistics, Faculty of Engineering Management, Poznan University of Technology, Jacka Rychlewskiego 2, 60-965 Poznań, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: The e-commerce market is continuously expanding; thus, many businesses are implementing their own omnichannel strategies. Many stores offer very liberal return policies that exceed statutory obligations to boost their revenue. Consumers are becoming used to new return opportunities, which leads to an increased percentage of returned orders. As a result, the sustainability of the delivery process of purchases made through omnichannel is jeopardized. The aim of this work was to assess the attitude of young consumers towards packaging in omnichannel returns. This study involved 446 young consumers (aged 18–25) and focused on delivery and return processes with emphasis on the packaging. It was found that the most common method of delivery is through parcel lockers (49%), although consumers usually have the possibility to choose from at least three different delivery options (77%). The product is shipped in a box in two out of every three cases, while filling of the package is below 80% in half of them. Consumers also prefer to return their goods in parcel lockers (45%), but they often cross channels and use different return options (to the way it was delivered). Consumers want to return their products in the same packaging, but this is usually only possible when the package is delivered in a box. Young consumers are pragmatic with their deliveries and returns, but environmental aspects are also very important to them.

Keywords: e-commerce; packaging preferences; sustainable packaging; reverse logistics; circular economy; omnichannel packaging (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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