E-Consumers' Perceptions Toward Retail Delivery Fees

As online shopping is driving the last-mile operations landscape, the infrastructure and environmental impacts of last-mile deliveries have prompted some US states to implement a retail delivery fee. This study explores how such fees influence consumer behavior. Drawing from the Theory of Planned Behavior, the authors analyze national survey data to examine the determinants of consumers' behavioral intentions to continue shopping online when faced with a delivery fee. Results indicate that perceived fairness is the strongest driver of behavioral intention, while cost sensitivity discourages continued online shopping. Convenience shows a weaker positive effect, while environmental awareness has no effect on continuous engagement. Additionally, fairness emerges as a necessary condition for maintaining shopping behavior under delivery fee implementation. Grounded theory analysis of open-ended responses further contextualizes consumer attitudes toward the fee, revealing concerns about trust, potential inequities, externalities, and unintended consequences. Our findings offer empirical evidence to inform public policy and retailer strategies aimed at fostering sustainable e-commerce logistics while maintaining consumer satisfaction.