Assessing the E-Commerce Sustainability Readiness: A Green Logistics Study on Online Sellers

Abstract

The increasing trend of technological advancement has led to significant changes in how customers purchase goods. Currently, buying products can be done most effectively from the comfort of one’s home through online shopping. Customers send and receive thousands of shipments daily, contributing to many materials and packaging that go to waste. While environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important in all industries, little is known about the factors that drive e-commerce enterprises to adopt green logistical practices. The current study aims to identify the factors that have the most significance in creating sustainable e-commerce in the future of logistics and marketing. This study performed a statewide online seller survey in the Philippines to acquire data on product characteristics, including how internal processes and external partnerships are used and perceived to minimize the carbon footprint connected with order fulfillment and delivery. It encompassed a sample of 286 online sellers nationwide and employed structural equation modeling to identify the factors influencing green logistics practices within the e-commerce industry. The findings underscore that technology has a positive relationship in fostering sustainability. The results also establish significant positive correlations between sustainable e-commerce practices, government laws, seller behavior, and reverse logistics. Notably, this research sheds light on the intricate dynamics of drivers promoting green logistics within the Philippine e-commerce landscape.