E-commerce and logistical urbanization in last-mile delivery

Abstract E-commerce integrates two central pillars of contemporary capitalism: digital platforms and logistics. While the construction of large fulfillment centers in metropolitan peripheries has garnered attention for its role in shaping logistical urbanization, we argue that e-commerce logistics goes beyond these structures, integrating small facilities into the urban fabric to meet the growing demand for fast deliveries. Through case studies, we analyzed the logistical programs of Amazon and Mercado Livre and mapped their operations in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. We concluded that last-mile logistics dissolves the boundaries between logistical spaces and urban centers, consolidating an urban fabric increasingly shaped by logistical imperatives.