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This research analyzes online consumer reviews and ratings to assess e-retail order fulfillment performance. The study aims to (1) identify consumer journey touchpoints in the order fulfillment process and (2) determine their relative importance for the consumer experience.

Text mining and analytics were employed to examine over 100 m online purchase orders, along with associated consumer reviews and ratings from Amazon US. Using natural language processing techniques, the corpus of reviews was structured to pinpoint touchpoints related to order fulfillment. Reviews were then classified according to their stance (either positive or negative) toward these touchpoints. Finally, the classes were correlated with consumer rating, measured by the number of stars, to determine the relative importance of each touchpoint.

The study reveals 12 touchpoints within the order fulfillment process, which are split into three groups: delivery, packaging and returns. These touchpoints significantly influence star ratings: positive experiences elevate them, while negative ones reduce them. The findings provide a quantifiable measure of these effects, articulated in terms of star ratings, which directly reflect the influence of experiences on consumer evaluations.

The dataset utilized in this study is from the US market, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other markets. Moreover, the novel methodology used to map and quantify customer journey touchpoints requires further refinement.

In e-retail and logistics, comprehending touchpoints in the order fulfillment process is pivotal. This understanding helps improve consumer interactions and enhance satisfaction. Such insights not only drive higher conversion rates but also guide informed managerial decisions, particularly in service development.

Drawing upon consumer-generated data, this research identifies a cohesive set of touchpoints within the order fulfillment process and quantitatively evaluates their influence on consumer experience using star ratings as a metric.

This paper focuses on the last-mile logistics (LML) operations in fulfilling online grocery orders and the related sustainability considerations in sparsely populated areas like Australia. It aims to examine how online groceries in sparsely populated areas can benefit from online business. Specifically, this study seeks to investigate whether a centralized order fulfillment approach is better than the existing approach which fulfills online orders from local grocery stores.

A multi-method approach is employed to conduct a high level of cost and emission analysis between the existing and the proposed approaches to illustrate the ratios between the two approaches in terms of cost and carbon emissions. Mathematical models are developed with support from the literature. The model is empirically validated with a case study of grocery distribution in the city of Gold Coast, Australia.

It finds that the centralized order fulfillment approach in sparsely populated areas can achieve LML sustainability with low cost, high efficiency and less double handling. Meanwhile, the separation of in-store and online retailing processes improves the in-store shopping experience and online shopping visibility, jointly improves customer satisfaction, and consequently achieves a positive effect on long-term sustainability. Additionally, the possibility of automating order picking and dispatching at a central place can make the processes more efficient and help build more sustainable grocery retailing supply chains by using more environmentally friendly systems.

This paper offers analytical and empirical insights into the sustainability of multi-channel grocery retailing supply chains. The high-level model developed first incorporates the concept of online shopping adoption rates and can serve as a decision-making tool for practitioners to improve supply chain sustainability in LML.

The purpose of the present research is to address the issue by conceptualizing artificial intelligence (AI) experience quality and its dimensions, and furthermore, to empirically test the relationships among AI experience quality, positive affective reactions, AI experience satisfaction and AI-seeking intention.

The data were collected from an AI community canteen in Shanghai. They were also analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Four primary dimensions and 15 sub-dimensions of AI experience quality for community canteens were identified. The hypothesized paths between the higher-order constructs – AI experience quality, positive affective reactions, AI experience satisfaction and AI-seeking intention – were confirmed as well.

This is the first study to synthesize AI experience quality, positive affective reactions, AI experience satisfaction and AI-seeking intention in an AI restaurant setting.

This study aims to investigate the contribution of blockchain technology to supply chain risk management and its impact on performance among Indian manufacturing companies.

Drawing on a resource-based view, dynamic capability and system of systems theory, this study examines the direct relationships between blockchain, supply chain risk management and supply chain performance. The authors validate the mediating effects of three supply chain risk management components, namely supply risk management, demand risk management and cyber security management, on financial transaction reliability and information reliability. Data were collected from 204 Indian manufacturing companies that have adopted blockchain technology.

The results demonstrate that companies adopting blockchain technology have experienced positive outcomes in managing supply chain-related risks, financial transaction reliability and information reliability. These findings provide valuable guidance to managers, highlighting blockchain as a competitive advantage for supply chain management.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous research on blockchain-based risk management capabilities has been conducted.

In the dynamic landscape of the digital economy, companies are increasingly adopting omnichannel integration strategies to enhance customer experiences. However, the interplay between this strategy and digitalisation in fostering brand trust remains uncharted. Drawing on the social exchange and psychological reactance theories, this study ventures into unexplored territory by examining the impact of omnichannel integration and digital value on brand trust building. It also delves into the boundary roles of customers’ psychological perceptions, both positive (customer empowerment) and negative (privacy concerns and perceived deception), in this process.

This study conducted an online survey of 595 omnichannel users in China and validated the model using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

This study’s results have significant implications for businesses. They show that customer perception of omnichannel integration and perceived digital value are critical drivers of omnichannel brand trust, with customer empowerment playing a mediating role. Notably, the study also reveals that customers’ negative psychological perceptions can have different moderating effects, highlighting the need for businesses to address these concerns in their omnichannel strategies.

This study breaks new ground in marketing research by highlighting the benefits of omnichannel integration and incorporating digital perspectives. It demonstrates the positive impact of blending customer perception of omnichannel integration and perceived digital value on brand trust formation. Furthermore, it explores the boundary roles of customers’ psychological perceptions in this process, offering a unique and comprehensive perspective.

The authors mobilise stewardship theory, which delves into trust and collaboration dynamics, advocating for long-term gains through actions beneficial to the broader community. Used as a fundamental framework to conceptualise the model, stewardship theory enhances the understanding of the effect of purchasing social responsibility (PSR) practices to foster innovativeness and performance through the supply chain (SC). This study aims to examine the relationship between PSR, SC innovativeness (SC-INNO) and SC operational performance (SCOP). In addition, the moderating effect of sustainability labels on these relationships will be studied.

Based on survey data from 177 organisations analysed through partial least square structural equation modelling, the results suggest that PSR has a positive and significant effect on SC-INNO and SCOP. In addition, SC-INNO plays a partial mediation role since the direct effect between PSR and SCOP is validated. Furthermore, the moderating effects of holding a sustainability label and industry type about PSR and SCOP are supported.

The results indicate a significant positive influence of PSR on both SC-INNO and operational performance. SC-INNO is found to partially mediate the PSR–SCOP relationship. Moreover, sustainability labels and industry type significantly moderate the effects of PSR on SCOP.

The findings extend stewardship theory into the sustainable purchasing and supply management field by providing empirical support for PSR as a reflection of stewardship behaviours by fostering innovation and performance throughout the SC.

Logistics service provider (LSP) selection involves multiple criteria, alternatives and decision makers. Group decision-making involves vagueness and uncertainty. This paper aims to propose a novel fuzzy method for assessing and selecting agile, resilient and sustainable LSP, taking care of the inconsistency and uncertainty in subjective group ratings.

Eighteen agile, resilient, operational, economic, environmental and social sustainability criteria were identified from the literature and discussion with experts. Interval-valued Fermatean fuzzy (IVFF) sets are more flexible and accurate for handling complex uncertainty, impreciseness and inconsistency in group ratings. The IVFF PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment Simplified (IVFF-PIPRECIAS) and IVFF weighted aggregated sum product assessment (IVFF-WASPAS) methods are applied to determine criteria weights and LSP evaluation, respectively.

Collaboration and partnership, range of services, capacity flexibility, geographic coverage, cost of service and environmental safeguard are found to have a greater influence on the LSP selection, as per this study. The LSP (L3) with the highest score (0.949) is the best agile, resilient and sustainable LSP in the manufacturing industry.

Hybrid IVFF-based PIPRECIAS and WASPAS methods are proposed for the selection of agile, resilient and sustainable LSP in the manufacturing industry.

The model can help supply chain managers in the manufacturing industry to easily adopt the hybrid model for agile, resilient and sustainable LSP selection.

The paper also contributes to the social sustainability of logistics workers.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, IVFF-PIPRECIAS and IVFF-WASPAS methods are applied for the first time to select the best agile, resilient and sustainable LSP in a developing economy context.

Advances in digital technologies and the growing number of touch points have had a significant impact on the shopping behaviour of omnichannel customers. Several research papers have explored different facets of omnichannel, but only a few have thoroughly explored the literature on showrooming and webrooming simultaneously. This paper aims to identify the key groups of antecedents influencing customer buying behaviour in omnichannel, under the influence of digital technologies, with a particular focus on showrooming and webrooming.

Our study conducted a systematic literature review to identify the factors influencing customers’ buying behaviour in omnichannel, which have been the subject of academic discussion over the last decade. We finalized 149 articles for the thematic analysis and identified three groups of antecedents: channel-related, product-related and consumer-related with their subgroups.

Under channel-related antecedents, cost and perceived benefits, search convenience, need for interaction and situational circumstances have been identified as major attributes. The expressiveness of the product, product demonstration and search and experienced products have been identified under product-related antecedents, followed by price consciousness, past experiences, perceived risks and shopping motivations as leading attributes under consumer-related antecedents. The study revealed the multifaceted influence of digital technologies on omnichannel buying behaviour. Digital technologies are shaping the antecedents related to channels, products and consumers. Digital technologies simultaneously mediate between antecedents and the selection of a specific path within an omnichannel environment. Showrooming and webrooming should no longer be seen as general concepts. The rise of digital technologies has led to the development of new consumer journey patterns and the blurring of distinctions between showrooming and webrooming. A conceptual framework has been proposed to understand consumers' omnichannel behaviour, having considered the identified antecedents and the role of digital technologies.

This study advances the academic understanding of consumer behaviour in omnichannel under the influence of digital technologies and provides important implications for omnichannel management. With the advancement of digital technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality, retailers should implement channel integration strategies to bridge the gap between online and offline channels, providing a memorable shopping experience for omnichannel customers.

This study is unique because it identifies and analyses the antecedents of consumer behaviour in omnichannel settings under the influence of digital technologies. It also uncovers new potential combinations of showrooming and webrooming patterns. The proposed framework can help retailers in their future planning of omnichannel strategies.

This study examines the impact of inter-organisational justice (i.e. distributive, procedural and interactional) in the buyer–supplier relationship on supply risk and, in turn, on a firm’s marketing and financial performance.

A structured survey was administered both online and in-person to Jordan-based manufacturing companies. The 137 responses received were analysed using partial least structural equation modelling.

The study found that while establishing both procedural and interactional justice in the relationship has a negative impact on supply risk, promoting distributive justice, surprisingly, has no impact. Moreover, supply risk was found to be detrimental to the firm’s marketing and financial performance.

This study considers only the direct role of inter-organisational justice in reducing supply risk. Future research could enhance our understanding of this role by exploring the underlying mechanisms and conditions that could govern it.

Managers can alleviate supply risk by ensuring procedural and interactional justice in the relationship through involving suppliers in the decision-making processes, consistently adhering to established procedures and communicating transparent and ample information.

Addressing supply risk can help in maintaining community resilience and economic stability.

The study highlights inter-organisational justice as a new approach to mitigating supply risk. Moreover, by examining how supply risk can affect a firm’s marketing performance, it also highlights a new implication of supply risk. Furthermore, by exclusively examining the impact of supply risk on a firm’s financial performance, the study provides a more nuanced interpretation of the effect of supply risk and how it can be reduced.

This chapter deals with the principal features of the International Code of Direct Selling 2013 prepared by the International Chamber of Commerce on Marketing and Advertising. Having identified the Basic Principles of Direct Selling and the Ideal Conduct towards Consumers, this Code also details the conduct which should be shown towards direct sellers; in addition to their responsibility to and in the event of any breach thereof, the responsibility to be discharged by the direct sellers. That is why this Code of Conduct provides for special training for familiarisation of the important provisions of this Code. This Code intends to achieve a number of objectives, namely (a) the importance of responsibility and good practice in direct selling in any jurisdiction; (b) to respect consumer preferences and privacy and the need for consumer protection – as the days of caveat emptor are over – the onus of consumer protection has been passed on to the sellers of products and services; and (c) direct selling should be done with social and professional responsibilities.