Abstract
E-commerce is always more diffused as a selling channel around the whole world market, and its importance has increased and continues to increase with the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. It provides enterprises a lot of opportunities, as the importance of physical stores to sell goods is bypassed. However, it has also changed the role of logistics in the supply chain. For this reason, this work aims to identify the main logistics research areas related to e-commerce implementation and the factors and key performance indicators, which should be taken into account for each logistics research area, with particular attention to sustainable aspects. For doing this, a structured and comprehensive literature analysis is carried out. Keywords associated with e-commerce and logistics areas are matched to identify the most interesting works related to its implementation. From the analysis, five main research areas are identified: Supply Chain Network Design (SCND); Outbound Logistics (OL); Reverse Logistics (RL); Warehousing (WR); and IT and data management (E-IT). For each area, key factors, strategies and performance indicators have been identified. Finally, a methodological framework that summarizes the results of the analysis is presented; this is a useful tool for managers to implement or expand their e-commerce business. Many works are focused on one research area, carrying out critical factors, models, and methods to implement that topic. Instead, the methodological framework presented here summarizes multiple research areas from a logistic point of view, identifying for each one input and output variables and how they influence each other.
Highlights
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) includes any form of economic activity conducted via electronic connections [1] and, in the last decades, its growth has considerably changed the role of logistics in the supply chain
Milioti et al [211] compared home delivery with the pick-up in-store and pick-up from lockers strategies, and the results indicated that home delivery appeared to be clearly preferable to the others, especially in weekly orders
The first one regards the Supply Chain Network Design (SCND) and its development: the definition of the channels; the characteristics of to theanswer product; the service business size; thelogistics market. This works aims to two relevantcomplexity; Research Questions (RQs)
Summary
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) includes any form of economic activity conducted via electronic connections [1] and, in the last decades, its growth has considerably changed the role of logistics in the supply chain. There are several advantages for both customers and companies in using and implementing e-commerce strategies. By a customers’ perspective, they can purchase when they have time, every day and in every slot of time, they do not require to be physically present in stores, they have more time for choosing and comparing products characteristics and prices of different online stores at the same time and, they have an unlimited selection and a higher degree of personalization [3,4]. Opportunities in implementing e-commerce are mainly related to the possibility of reaching a larger platform of possible customers, a reduction in the number and in the dimensions of the physical stores and, the possibility to collect and analyze in real-time data to map customers’ behavior and create a direct communication channel [4]. Opportunities in implementing e-commerce are mainly related to the possibility of reaching a larger platform of possible customers, a reduction in the number and in the dimensions of the physical stores and, the possibility to collect and analyze in real-time data to map customers’ behavior and create a direct communication channel [4]. 4.0/).
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