B2c e‐commerce logistics: the rise of collection‐and‐delivery points in The Netherlands

To empirically study the uptake of collection‐and‐delivery points (CDPs) in The Netherlands and its consequences for retailers, shopping centres, and mobility.

The study uses 2006 data from an online consumer survey and data provided by the major CDP companies in The Netherlands. In addition, two Dutch directors of CDP companies were interviewed.

The service point is nowadays the dominant form of CDP in The Netherlands. However, in 2006 only 1.4 percent of all online orders in The Netherlands were delivered at a service point. In addition, Dutch consumers currently mainly use service points for returning their online orders. As such, positive mobility effects of service points are so far small. Nevertheless, for retailers operating a service point may lead to additional revenues, as one in four online shoppers make a purchase when collecting or returning a parcel.

Since service points – at least in The Netherlands – are nowadays mainly used for returning online orders, future empirical research should not neglect the reverse logistics function of CDPs.

Online shoppers are more willing to use the service point concept when they have many service points in the vicinity of their home. In addition, service points with many consumers in their immediate surroundings also perform best. A five minutes driving distance by car seems the critical accessibility value for the success of this concept.

Using nation‐wide representative samples the paper makes a significant contribution to the scarce empirical literature on the uptake and consequences of CDPs for retailers, shopping centres, and mobility.