Do you feel guilty? A consumer-centric perspective on green nudging in last-mile deliveries

Purpose The growth of e-commerce businesses puts heavy pressure on logistics service providers to satisfy customer expectations in last-mile delivery. To account for factors such as sustainability or speed, it is necessary to involve the consumer to advance logistics services. This study aims at an empirical analysis of more sustainable consumer choices. It investigates the effects of applying green nudges in the form of default setting and social influence in encouraging customers to select a more sustainable delivery mode, particularly testing psychological dimensions of ethical behavior. Design/methodology/approach The effectiveness of nudging is tested in a discrete choice experiment with Italian participants randomly divided into two groups: control group 1 without manipulation ( N = 180) and group 2 with manipulation ( N = 141). Applying a consumer-centric perspective in last-mile delivery, the research expands on behavioral factors supporting the nudges. Specifically, environmental concerns, psychological ownership and anticipated guilt are examined as moral dispositions for more sustainable logistics choices. Findings In the group with manipulation, more consumers choose the sustainable delivery for their online purchases than in the group without manipulation. Particularly, the variables speed and pickup location had significant effects on choosing the sustainable delivery option. Thus, the nudges of default setting and social influence are effective. With the most significant effect, the nudges trigger guilt in the participants if the most sustainable delivery is not chosen. Practical implications The analysis observed that green nudging encouraged consumers to opt for slow delivery (5–7 days) or “Click and Collect” solutions. In contrast, the willingness to pay more for a sustainable delivery option was not affected. Hence, logistics service providers may use this flexibility to optimize last-mile distribution processes. Originality/value The results contribute to an advanced understanding of applying nudging in sustainable logistics. This research, focusing on behavioral operations management, adds to theory by including a consumer-centric supply chain approach in last-mile delivery and accordingly gives ethical implications on consumer social responsibility. Additionally, it offers a practical solution for online retailers to increase sustainability through default settings and social influence without compromising the consumer’s online experience.