Assessing Consumer Preference for Overpackaging Solutions in E-Commerce

Guojie Xie, Lijuan Huang, Chrysostomos Apostolidis, Zuqing Huang, Weiwei Cai and Guokai Li
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Guojie Xie: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Lijuan Huang: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Chrysostomos Apostolidis: Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Zuqing Huang: School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Weiwei Cai: Graduate School, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Guokai Li: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (DICEA), University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-21

Abstract: The emergence of e-commerce and express delivery services has significantly transformed business operations and consumer shopping experience. However, the resulting problem of packaging waste, particularly from overpackaging, poses serious challenges to environmental sustainability and human health. Existing research has proposed many solutions from various perspectives, but very few have considered the acceptability and consumer preference for these proposals. Using the value co-creation (VCC) theory, we established a research model to explore consumer preferences for e-commerce overpackaging solutions. A survey of 632 online consumers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen was conducted, and data were analyzed using the SmartPLS software. The results show that establishing a recycling system, government policy, and consumers’ environmental awareness have a significant positive impact on consumer preference, while combined packaging has a significant negative impact. We also found that government policy plays an intermediary role in establishing a recycling system and consumer preference. Based on these findings, we recommend that enterprises establish and improve their packaging recycling systems and that e-commerce platforms provide alternative options to combined packaging. Also, the government should play a guiding and coordinating role for enterprises and consumers, and environmental awareness among consumers should actively be promoted.

Keywords: electronic commerce; overpackaging; solutions; consumer preference; SmartPLS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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