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Sustainable E-commerce

A topical collection in Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This collection belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

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Editor

Poznan School of Logistics, Estkowskiego 6, 61-755 Poznań, Poland
Interests: logistics; digital economy; e-commerce; business network; ICT
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

The pandemic and the resulting restrictions on shopping have contributed to the dynamic growth of e-commerce. On the one hand, e-commerce has enabled many people to access products relatively normally, but on the other hand, the Internet has become a place where it is easy and quick to buy something without much thought.

The explosive growth of the e-commerce sector raises the question of its role in the sustainable development. Although online shopping is very convenient for customers, it can have a negative impact on the environment. The problem lies with the transportation of individual shipments, additional packaging and materials used for this purpose, and returns. For this reason, it is claimed that the rapid and continuous growth of e-commerce cannot be discussed without talking about its sustainability.

While the concept of sustainability itself is well recognized in the literature, including in many industry and functional contexts, sustainability in the context of e-commerce has been studied extremely rarely. The literature analysis conducted for the proposal has therefore identified a significant research gap in the development of the concept of sustainability in e-commerce.

The aim of the Special Issue is to create a discussion platform focused on opinions, ideas, and approaches in sustainable (social, environmental and economic) e-commerce and new emerging solutions and technologies that might be successfully applied in e-commerce.

Both theoretical and practical studies in the area are welcome, especially innovative methods, tools, technologies, instruments in management, and case studies from different sectors and different countries.

The list of topics of interest for this Special Issue includes but is not limited to the keywords provided below.

Prof. Dr. Arkadiusz Kawa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable models in e-commerce
  • social impact and interactions in e-commerce
  • environmental impact and interactions in e-commerce
  • sustainability performance in e-commerce
  • sustainable e-commerce in industries
  • value chain in sustainable e-commerce
  • customer expectation in sustainable e-commerce
  • eco e-commerce
  • re-commerce
  • green last mile
  • green warehouses
  • eco-packaging
  • returnable packaging
  • sustainable supply chain in e-commerce

Published Papers (11 papers)

2023

Jump to: 2022, 2021

29 pages, 2456 KiB  
Article
Innovation and E-Commerce Models, the Technology Catalysts for Sustainable Development: The Emirate of Dubai Case Study
by Alessio Faccia, Corlise Liesl Le Roux and Vishal Pandey
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3419; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043419 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 9723
Abstract
Innovation and e-commerce models are essential in sustainable development globally. They are among the most important technology and innovation catalysts of Dubai’s pillars. Technologies are essential parts of the strategic approach that aims to become a completely paperless city through digitalisation. The analyses [...] Read more.
Innovation and e-commerce models are essential in sustainable development globally. They are among the most important technology and innovation catalysts of Dubai’s pillars. Technologies are essential parts of the strategic approach that aims to become a completely paperless city through digitalisation. The analyses begin with reviewing the most relevant literature on sustainable e-commerce and the e-commerce models. Furthermore, the research identifies the innovation and sustainable paradigms most suitable for developing technologies and e-commerce successfully. Finally, the focus is shifted to the best and most innovative and sustainable e-commerce practices adopted by the companies, contextualised in the Emirate of Dubai as a relevant case study. The primary outcome of this research demonstrated how a thriving environment, marked by adequate investments and opportunities provided by the government, supported e-commerce development and technology adoption. Subsequently, those models are matched with sustainable strategies. The analysis is carried out through an organic growth research framework. The results, therefore, provide valuable insights to multiple stakeholders. Indeed, despite some limitations, the Emirates of Dubai can be considered a benchmark in terms of a strategic digitalisation approach, as its ecosystem proves particularly fruitful for e-commerce development and company sales growth. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2023, 2021

20 pages, 2591 KiB  
Article
Measuring CO2 Emissions in E-Commerce Deliveries: From Empirical Studies to a New Calculation Approach
by Damian Dubisz, Paulina Golinska-Dawson and Przemysław Zawodny
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16085; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316085 - 01 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3328
Abstract
The rapid development of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the demand for urban deliveries. In this study, we conduct an exploratory analysis to identify factors that influence the fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of vans [...] Read more.
The rapid development of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the demand for urban deliveries. In this study, we conduct an exploratory analysis to identify factors that influence the fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of vans and trucks used for e-commerce delivery. The novelty of this research results from the proposal of a new actionable approach to calculate CO2 emissions from heterogeneous fleets in e-commerce deliveries. Through a literature review, a survey of transport managers, and a case study on e-commerce deliveries, we have found that the heterogeneous fleet structure impacts direct emissions from urban deliveries. We have taken into account the parameters of a heterogeneous fleet structure, such as gross weight, mass, fuel type, engine size, fuel consumption (liters/100 km), and the age of a vehicle. Through numerical experiments, we have identified that the age of a vehicle results in increased fuel consumption of 1.31% year-to-year for vans and 1.01% year-to-year for 18-t trucks. For that reason, we proposed a novel formula to calculate the direct CO2 emissions from heterogeneous fleets in e-commerce deliveries, which takes into consideration the age-related fuel consumption factor and the structure of a fleet. Full article
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29 pages, 3647 KiB  
Article
A Framework for a Generic Retail Charter: A Guide towards Sustainability and Stakeholder Support
by Petrus Venter and Rodney Duffett
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15848; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315848 - 28 Nov 2022
Viewed by 3113
Abstract
This paper develops a framework for a generic retail stakeholder charter that addresses expectations of relevant retail business stakeholders to achieve success and sustainability. Hevner’s design science research model was used for the development of this framework. Relevant literature on retail business management, [...] Read more.
This paper develops a framework for a generic retail stakeholder charter that addresses expectations of relevant retail business stakeholders to achieve success and sustainability. Hevner’s design science research model was used for the development of this framework. Relevant literature on retail business management, stakeholder theory, and existing charters was reviewed and used for the design of a draft generic retail charter framework. The draft framework was submitted to expert practitioners and academics for verification in terms of correctness, completeness, and relevance to develop the final retail charter framework. The framework addresses stakeholder expectations regarding relevant categories, and the structure of the retail charter addresses the identity, elements, and the management of the retail charter. The elements in the generic retail charter are structured to achieve stakeholder support by ensuring compliance, satisfaction, and excitement. This generic retail charter framework creates research opportunities for the development of detailed retail charters for every stakeholder category, and customized retail charters for individual retail businesses. The framework provides further research opportunities for retail businesses operating in a particular industry, ecommerce, various Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, and other countries. Full article
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16 pages, 961 KiB  
Article
How Do Fresh Live Broadcast Impact Consumers’ Purchase Intention? Based on the SOR Theory
by Zhijie Song, Chang Liu and Rui Shi
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14382; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114382 - 03 Nov 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 7476
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fresh live broadcasting has been widely present in consumers’ daily lives but has been scarcely examined in academic research. The major purpose of the current study is to examine how fresh live broadcast features (visibility, interactivity, and authenticity) impact [...] Read more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fresh live broadcasting has been widely present in consumers’ daily lives but has been scarcely examined in academic research. The major purpose of the current study is to examine how fresh live broadcast features (visibility, interactivity, and authenticity) impact consumers’ willingness to buy through consumers’ perceived value and perceived trust based on the stimulus–organism-response theory. A total of 307 Chinese webcast users participated in this study. The data were collected through an online questionnaire survey and analyzed by SPSS and Amos software. The findings discovered that the fresh live broadcast features positively impact consumers’ perceived utility value and trust, and the visibility and interactivity enhance the perceived hedonistic value of consumers. Moreover, perceived value and perceived trust mediate between fresh live broadcast features and consumers’ willingness to buy. This study emphasizes the important role of fresh live features and provides insight for fresh sellers to increase consumer willingness to buy based on the perspective of consumers’ perceived value and trust. Full article
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20 pages, 1763 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Effects of E-Marketing Factors for Agricultural Products on the Emergence of Sustainable Consumer Behaviour
by Adil Zia and Musaad Alzahrani
Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13072; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013072 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3159
Abstract
The digitalisation of services is a process that is gaining traction worldwide owing to the numerous benefits that it provides to sellers and consumers. This study aimed to explore the impact of e-marketing factors for agricultural products on the sustainable consumer behaviour. The [...] Read more.
The digitalisation of services is a process that is gaining traction worldwide owing to the numerous benefits that it provides to sellers and consumers. This study aimed to explore the impact of e-marketing factors for agricultural products on the sustainable consumer behaviour. The technology acceptance model (TAM) and the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model were used to investigate the factors that trigger long-term behavioural changes towards more sustainable consumer behaviour. Trust and continuance intention (CI) constitute sustainable consumer behaviours. The survey-based data were collected from 172 farmers in and around the Al-Baha province of Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal that, out of the six factors, social influence (SI), hedonic motives (HM), and perceived risk (PR) had a significant impact on trust whereas the perceived usefulness (PU), information quality (IQ), and the perceived ease of use (PEOU) had an insignificant impact on trust. Trust appears to had a substantial positive impact on the development of CI. Furthermore, the significant moderation of age and the insignificant moderation of education are observed among trust–CI relationship. Therefore, policymakers should concentrate on the factors such as SI and decrease the factors that are related to the PR in order to achieve a higher level of trust. This study contributes to the literature on e-marketing of agricultural products resulting in the formation of CI that triggers long-term behavioural changes towards more sustainable consumer behaviour. Full article
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16 pages, 1416 KiB  
Article
Overseas Warehouse Deployment for Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative
by Chanjuan Liu, Jinran Wu and Harshanie Lakshika Jayetileke
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9642; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159642 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4030
Abstract
The development of cross-border e-commerce is generally faced with problems such as high freight, long transportation time, and low service level. However, overseas warehouses can effectively solve the above problems to a certain extent, and they can improve consumer satisfaction. Therefore, this paper [...] Read more.
The development of cross-border e-commerce is generally faced with problems such as high freight, long transportation time, and low service level. However, overseas warehouses can effectively solve the above problems to a certain extent, and they can improve consumer satisfaction. Therefore, this paper proposed a method combined with the entropy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (E-TOPSIS) model and complex network analysis theory to make a comprehensive determination of overseas warehouse locations for China’s e-commerce exports in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R). We selected 62 countries along the B&R as pre-candidates for overseas warehouse locations and then evaluated the significance of each node in cross-border e-commerce for Chinese export products. Finally, 15 countries were identified as the optimal overseas warehouse locations for Chinese export products along the B&R. The results can provide reference for overseas warehouse deployment of Chinese cross-border e-commerce enterprises as well as the development and the construction of the B&R. Full article
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28 pages, 705 KiB  
Article
Barriers and Factors Affecting the E-Commerce Sustainability of Thai Micro-, Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs)
by Yot Amornkitvikai, Siew Yean Tham, Charles Harvie and Wonlop Writthym Buachoom
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8476; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148476 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6003
Abstract
It is anticipated that e-commerce will contribute to achieving the 17th Sustainable Development Goal, which seeks to improve implementation mechanisms and revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development. However, MSMEs still face a digital gap compared to large enterprises, which affects their e-commerce sustainability. [...] Read more.
It is anticipated that e-commerce will contribute to achieving the 17th Sustainable Development Goal, which seeks to improve implementation mechanisms and revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development. However, MSMEs still face a digital gap compared to large enterprises, which affects their e-commerce sustainability. The study’s objective is to examine the factors and barriers affecting the e-commerce sustainability of Thai micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) based on a survey of retail and food and beverage (F&B) service MSMEs in metropolitan Bangkok. Estimations confirm the significance of the TOE framework for Thai MSMEs. Internal e-commerce tools (i.e., smartphones and websites) and external e-commerce platforms (i.e., social media, e-marketplaces, and food delivery platforms) can enhance e-commerce sustainability. However, the age of firms and owners (CEOs) affects e-commerce sustainability negatively. Exports, B2B e-commerce, and e-commerce experience can promote the e-commerce sustainability of Thai MSMEs. However, they perceive that many consumers are still not literate in using e-commerce. In addition, Thailand still has insufficient security to prevent hacking and malware. Therefore, Thai entrepreneurs’ e-commerce literacy is insufficient to enhance their e-commerce sustainability. On the other hand, sustainable e-commerce can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and trust through customer support, leading to more long-term online shopping. Hence, this study focuses on e-commerce sustainability-based economic dimensions, as measured by the percentage of e-commerce sales to total sales (e-commerce utilization/intensity). Full article
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17 pages, 325 KiB  
Article
Consumers’ Change in Trust and Security after a Personal Data Breach in Online Shopping
by Artur Strzelecki and Mariia Rizun
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5866; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105866 - 12 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5021
Abstract
This research is dedicated to one of the significant problems connected with purchasing online: consumers’ personal data security. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of a study of an incident of a personal data breach from the Morele.net online [...] Read more.
This research is dedicated to one of the significant problems connected with purchasing online: consumers’ personal data security. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of a study of an incident of a personal data breach from the Morele.net online store that occurred in Poland. The current gap in the literature is the lack of research done among consumers who suffered from a data breach. Data from 826 people affected by this incident were collected and used for drawing conclusions regarding the changes that took place after the incident. The data obtained are both qualitative and quantitative. The data set was analyzed using the IBM SPSS software package. The evolution in consumers’ trust towards the store was studied and results reveal that it has strongly decreased, although this did not influence consumers’ attitudes towards online shopping in general. The main finding of the research is that one out of three affected consumers will discontinue online shopping on Morele.net; however, they will not tend to change their online shopping behavior in general—they will just purchase in other online stores. Moreover, even though consumers were disappointed, and many were considering no longer purchasing from this site, the store still had significant opportunities to regain consumers’ trust and save its competitiveness in the market. The results suggest several improvements that should help online stores stay secure and trustworthy for their consumers. It was revealed that consumers had not previously been greatly concerned about their data being protected by the store; this incident, however, had changed this fact, and now consumers had become much more conscious about providing any of their data to any website. Full article
14 pages, 284 KiB  
Article
The Implications of Socially Responsible Retailing Platform on Channel Structure Choice and Product Quality Decisions
by Fangchao Xu, Xin Lu and Xiukun Zhao
Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5691; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095691 - 08 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1527
Abstract
At present, corporate social responsibility has been widely mentioned by the international society, especially platform enterprises. For a platform that assumes social responsibilities, consumer surplus is a rather critical aspect, and product quality is one of the most important factors directly related to [...] Read more.
At present, corporate social responsibility has been widely mentioned by the international society, especially platform enterprises. For a platform that assumes social responsibilities, consumer surplus is a rather critical aspect, and product quality is one of the most important factors directly related to consumers. This paper studies a supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailing platform, in which the retailing platform procures products from the manufacturer. The manufacturer produces the products and decides the product quality. We consider two channel structures of the manufacturer and the retailing platform in the reseller mode and marketplace mode. Based on the model analysis and discussions, we obtain some managerial insights that are helpful in commercial practice. For the retailing platform, it has to suffer a loss in economic profit to care more about consumer surplus and become a social responsibility platform. In addition, its social responsibility plays different roles in different channel structures. In the marketplace mode, a social responsibility retailing platform helps to improve product quality. In the reseller mode, the retailing platform’s social responsibility does not make a change in product quality. Furthermore, the product quality in the reseller mode is always higher than that in the marketplace mode. From the perspective of economic profits, the manufacturer obtains higher profits in the reseller mode than the marketplace mode. The retailing platform obtains higher profits in the marketplace mode than the reseller mode. Full article
14 pages, 1223 KiB  
Article
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Food Supply Chain and the Role of E-Commerce for Food Purchasing
by Ashraf Ud Din, Heesup Han, Antonio Ariza-Montes, Alejandro Vega-Muñoz, António Raposo and Shruti Mohapatra
Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 3074; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14053074 - 06 Mar 2022
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 9178
Abstract
The world has been plagued by an unforeseen threat to public health by the appearance of COVID-19, which has impacted the world’s economy and the worldwide supply chain. The unexpected pandemic (COVID-19) quickly spread across the world, leaving not a single country unaffected [...] Read more.
The world has been plagued by an unforeseen threat to public health by the appearance of COVID-19, which has impacted the world’s economy and the worldwide supply chain. The unexpected pandemic (COVID-19) quickly spread across the world, leaving not a single country unaffected by the worldwide pandemic. At the start of COVID-19, several countries adopted social distancing and lockdowns due to the virus. The existing pandemic’s discriminatory aspect has a negative influence on human health and the standard of living, as well as worldwide trade, supply chains, and major economies. COVID-19 has been shown to have an effect throughout the broader food supply chain, one of the largest significant sectors of any country, from the field to the consumers. There are currently substantial concerns regarding food production, manufacturing, delivery, and consumption in light of emerging issues within the food supply chain. Limitations on the mobility of workers, variations in consumer demands, the shutdown of food manufacturing industries, limited food trading regulations, and financial stress throughout the food supply chain are all results of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic (COVID-19) has changed consumer behavior and affected the business and economic sector. The purpose of this study was to explore the application of the Q-technique in the investigation of online consumer and manufacturer behavior in relation to end-user food purchases via digital marketing skills, supply chain possibilities, food purchaser and consumer happiness, and e-commerce infrastructure efficiency under the influence of COVID-19. The results show that in the crisis of supply chain management, clarifying the import food industry e-commerce supply chain crisis items, and determining their priority and strength can help enterprises make emergency decisions regarding supply chain operation; they can also be used as a reference for enterprises to use in responding to the crisis. Full article
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2021

Jump to: 2023, 2022

15 pages, 290 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Potential for Digital Transformation
by Tatiana Corejova and Roman Chinoracky
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 11040; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911040 - 06 Oct 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4593
Abstract
Historically, new technologies have always increased the efficiency of production processes. Production process efficiency increases productivity. With the growth of productivity, there is usually an increase in sales and profit. Today’s world is mainly influenced by digital technologies. The digitization of production processes [...] Read more.
Historically, new technologies have always increased the efficiency of production processes. Production process efficiency increases productivity. With the growth of productivity, there is usually an increase in sales and profit. Today’s world is mainly influenced by digital technologies. The digitization of production processes leads to the digital transformation of the business and natural economy sectors. If, like other technologies in the past, the effects of digital technologies are associated with a growth in efficiency, productivity and thus also revenues and profits, the aim of this article is to propose a model to assess the potential of a digital transformation from a macroeconomic perspective. The proposed model, which was based on a composite indicator expressing the potential for digital transformation, was quantified for a certain period and for a selected sample of countries. The potential for digital transformation can occur in any country, regardless of the purchasing power of its population and GDP per capita. We can assume that the economic benefits of digital technologies are obvious. Businesses operating in any country innovate and are driven by digital technologies. This is also reflected in employment. New workers who know how to work with digital technologies are needed. Therefore, the results of the assessments and the proposal itself serve as a basis for national policy makers to create national strategies for digital transformation. Full article
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