Understanding the socio-spatial determinants of online shopping through household delivery option choices

Abstract

Households increasingly buy goods online and use various delivery services, such as home deliveries and pick-up or click-and-collect services. Drawing on a questionnaire survey of 633 households in France, this article seeks to deepen understanding of the factors influencing online shopping practices, focusing on the type of goods purchased (food or non-food) and the chosen delivery services. The findings refine the innovations and efficiency hypotheses, that these factors have a greater influence on the choice of delivery methods than on the likelihood of shopping online. Beyond standard socio-demographic factors, residential location does not significantly impact the frequency of online purchases but significantly influences the selection of delivery options. Specifically, households in areas perceived or characterized as less densely populated, with fewer local stores and collection points, are more likely to opt for home delivery. Conversely, those in neighbourhoods perceived as well equipped with amenities are more inclined to choose a collection point. The conclusion, therefore, is that households in densely populated areas are more inclined to retrieve purchases from pick-up points, whereas those in less dense areas would more readily outsource these trips to a logistics provider for home delivery.

Keywords

• household
• logistic
• shopping
• internet
• rural/urban divide