Consumer participation in last-mile logistics service: an investigation on cognitions and affects
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
ISSN: 0960-0035
Article publication date: 31 December 2018
Issue publication date: 5 March 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Increasingly, the logistics industry offers innovative solutions that interact with end-consumers directly. The purpose of this paper is to examine the consumer participation behaviour in co-creating logistics service values, using self-collection via automated parcel station as an example. Built on the synthesised insights from logistics studies and behavioural theories on consumers’ attitude and affect, the effect of cognitions (what consumers think) and affects (what consumers feel) are investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 500 valid responses are collected from an online panel of respondents and the data are analysed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.
Findings
Consumers’ affects towards participation are stronger motivations that not only intrinsically motivate consumers to participate but also exert an indirect influence via consumers’ cognitions.
Practical implications
To elicit consumers’ affections, it is critical to create enjoyable (enjoyment), assuring (assurance) and secure (security) service experiences. On the other hand, an overly straightforward service offering (in terms of cognitive functionality), void of the aforementioned experiences, may discourage consumers from participation.
Originality/value
This research unveils consumer participation in co-creating logistics service values, contributing to studies on the emerging phenomenon of consumer logistics. A rebalancing of the logistics research from a utility-creation perspective to an experience-creation perspective has been advocated.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by Nanyang Technological University, COE Major Proposal Preparatory Grant (2016), which provided financial support for data collection.
Citation
Wang, X., Yuen, K.F., Wong, Y.D. and Teo, C.-C. (2019), "Consumer participation in last-mile logistics service: an investigation on cognitions and affects", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 49 No. 2, pp. 217-238. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-12-2017-0372
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited