Optimizing delivery: a push-pull-mooring framework analysis of Chinese customers’ shift from home delivery to parcel lockers

Purpose Parcel lockers’ integration into China’s e-commerce could solve traditional home delivery’s inefficiency and sustainability issues. Yet, adoption lags. The paper aims to analyze consumer motivations and decision-making in the shift from home delivery to lockers and to aid in developing strategies for adoption. Design/methodology/approach The research initially constructs a push-pull-mooring model. Subsequently, an electronic questionnaire yielded 556 valid responses, analyzed via partial least squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Conclusively, PLS Multi-Group analysis (PLS-MGA) was used to assess consumer reactions, segmented by online shopping frequency, to the push, pull, and mooring influences. Findings The study elucidates that a confluence of factors critically influences consumer inclination to transition from traditional home delivery to parcel lockers. Push factors like time risk, privacy risk, and price deter traditional delivery use. Pull factors, namely monetary rewards and green value, encourage locker adoption. Inertia hinders service change. The PLS-MGA shows varied consumer responses based on shopping frequency. Originality/value The research is at the forefront of research into consumers’ transition from home delivery to parcel lockers. It examines the role of monetary rewards, which has not been previously explored in the parcel locker adoption literature. Furthermore, it identifies key factors influencing the switch, informing policymakers and industry figures.