Last–Mile Delivery in B2C E-Commerce – Common Practices in Some Countries, But What Do They Mean for Businesses in Vietnam?

Nguyen Thi Cam Loan, Nguyen Thi Huyen, Bui Thi To Loan, Tran Thi Tra Giang, Ho Thuy Trinh, Khuu Minh Dat, Phạm Thị Ngọc Mai

Abstract

E-commerce is a dispensable aspect of modern society, and technology is constantly developing to keep up with the growth of e-commerce. This study synthesizes those innovative solutions and proposes implications aimed at increasing the efficiency of last-mile delivery in business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce in Vietnam. It focuses on the analysis of the experience of some countries in terms of employing last-mile delivery models in urban areas, then investigates the situation of adopting last-mile delivery models in Vietnam, and finally, proposes solutions and recommendations to improve last-mile delivery in Vietnam. The research was carried out from May to August 2021 with the techniques of synthesis, comparison, and data descriptive statistics accompanied by short interviews with delivery drivers. The research suggests that delivery companies should develop collection-and-delivery points (CDPs) and parcel lockers (PLs) besides the traditional attended home delivery (AHD). Moreover, to facilitate the unattended delivery models, online shops should not exaggerate goods’ quality to cheat buyers and instead take measures to encourage buyers to make e-payments for their orders. Government and authorities are recommended to continue supervising activities of e-payment, updating legal documents to ensure the information security for customers, advertising digital payment tools in the social network environment to increase buyer awareness of e-payment, and imposing a tough penalty for dishonest or cheating online companies. The research is novel as it suggests means to strengthen alternative, modern models besides AHD, which people are likely to adopt in an ever more busy and modern society.

Keywords: attended home delivery, collection-and-delivery points, last-mile delivery, reception boxes, parcel lockers.

 

https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.49.5.3


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