Analyzing the characteristics of potential last-mile crowdshippers: insights from survey data in Slovenia, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic

Crowdshipping, regarded as a promising last-mile delivery solution, especially in urban settings, differs from traditional delivery methods by relying on a critical mass of volunteers known as crowdshippers. Understanding their characteristics is crucial for effective targeting. This study seeks to analyze the willingness of potential crowdshippers to deliver/pick up ordered items (parcels) and sociodemographic characteristics influencing the willingness to work (WTW) as a crowdshipper in three different countries (Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine). The primary sociodemographic data are investigated using survey data. Utility functions for decision-making in crowdshipping delivery are derived from questionnaire data processing and a discrete hierarchical Bayesian multimodal logit model was utilized to discern variations among the countries. By examining the unique sociodemographic features of potential crowdshippers in these countries, this study not only uncovers the traits of potential crowdshippers in each country but also points out the differences or similarities among the three different countries. The resulting data enables parcel delivery companies in each country to comprehend better which population groups are potentially more inclined to undertake this job. The comparative insights from this study can provide a basis for developing general business models that can be applied across those countries with some degree of uniformity.