Crowdsourced delivery and customer assessments of e-Logistics Service Quality: An appraisal theory perspective

Abstract

Thanks to increased technological advancements, retailers have progressively incorporated crowdsourcing into their delivery service portfolios to offer customers an enhanced last-mile delivery experience. Yet, while studies have explored the unique operational attributes of the crowdsourced delivery (CD) model in online retailing, the literature remains scant on how customers respond to the usage of this emerging delivery service. Building on the cognitive appraisal theory and e-Logistics Service Quality (e-LSQ) literatures, this study applies middle-range theorizing to examine differences between customers' appraisals of e-LSQ dimensions of CD and traditional delivery methods, and what types of products being delivered make such differences more pronounced. Our analysis of a large sample of customers' reviews across multiple retailers reveals that customers exhibit higher appraisal levels of timeliness, price, and reliability of delivery services when CD is used. Results also indicate that appraisals are more pronounced for timeliness and price of deliveries of high-turnover products that require minimal time and effort to purchase. Our findings, as such, underscore the power of CD as a tool to enhance customer experience and unveil potential opportunities for effective CD use in customer segmentation strategies.