The Role of Walkability in Shaping Shopping and Delivery Services: Insights into E-Consumer Behavior

Leise Kelli de Oliveira, Rui Colaço, Gracielle Gonçalves Ferreira de Araújo and João de Abreu e Silva ()
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Leise Kelli de Oliveira: Department of Industrial and Transport Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-190, Brazil
Rui Colaço: CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Gracielle Gonçalves Ferreira de Araújo: Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50740-530, Brazil
João de Abreu e Silva: CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Logistics, 2025, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Background : As e-commerce expands and delivery services diversifies, understanding the factors that shape consumer preferences becomes critical to designing efficient and sustainable urban logistics. This study examines how perceived walkability influences consumers’ preferences for shopping channels (in-store or online) and delivery methods (home delivery versus pickup points). Method : The analysis is based on structural equation modeling and utilizes survey data collected from 444 residents of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Results : The findings emphasize the importance of walkability in supporting weekday store visits, encouraging pickup for online purchases and fostering complementarity between different modes of purchase and delivery services. Perceived walkability positively affects the preference to buy in physical stores and increases the likelihood of using pickup points. Educated men, particularly those living in walkable areas, are the most likely to adopt pickup services. In contrast, affluent individuals and women are less likely to forgo home delivery in favor of pickup points. Conclusions : The results highlight the role of perceived walkability in encouraging in-person pickup as a sustainable alternative to home delivery, providing practical guidance for retailers, urban planners, and logistics firms seeking to align consumer convenience with sustainable delivery strategies.

Keywords: urban freight transport; e-consumer preferences; travel behavior; shopping behavior; delivery services; walkability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:3:p:88-:d:1692419

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