Reconceptualizing E-Logistics Service Quality (E-LSQ) in Emerging Contexts: The Case of Crowdsourced Delivery

Abstract

E-logistics service quality (e-LSQ) has been one of the primary constructs used in the logistics literature to capture customers' appraisals of delivery service performance in the business-to-consumer (B2C) context. While e-LSQ comprises key operational aspects of delivery performance, we posit that it overlooks other elements that are now present in emerging delivery models, such as crowdsourced delivery (CD). In this study, we follow a middle-range theory approach to capture the facets of delivery performance that are considered by customers in their assessments of e-LSQ during CD encounters. Using a large dataset consisting of customers' reviews of their delivery service experiences with Amazon Prime Now prior to and post-CD incorporation, we find that customers value a more nuanced operational dimension as well as relational and societal dimensions in their assessments of the delivery service. The findings of our qualitative analyses enrich the current understanding of customers' appraisals of delivery service encounters and lay the groundwork for reassessing e-LSQ, particularly in light of emerging delivery models like CD in online retailing.