THE LAST MILE: AN EXAMINATION OF EFFECTS OF ONLINE RETAIL DELIVERY STRATEGIES ON CONSUMERS

✍ Scribed by Terry L. Esper; Thomas D. Jensen; Fernanda L. Turnipseed; Scot Burton

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 108 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0735-3766
• DOI: 10.1002/j.2158-1592.2003.tb00051.x

✦ Synopsis

The Internet has increased the level of importance of the end‐consumer market to transportation carriers. In two between subject experiments, carrier disclosure on retail merchant websites is examined as a strategic differentiation strategy. Predictions are offered concerning effects of carrier disclosure strategies on product delivery‐related expectations, consumer attitudes, and intentions to purchase a product online. Results from Study 1 reveal significant differences between disclosure and nondisclosure of the carrier for numerous product delivery‐related variables, as well as many differences between the six carriers examined in this first study. Study 2 extends these findings by showing that providing consumers with a choice of carrier leads to increased levels of satisfaction with the online experience and greater willingness to buy, relative to nondisclosure and disclosure strategies.