The impact of different last-mile delivery service types on users’ continuance intention: mediated by privacy concerns

Privacy has always been a highly concerning issue in digital transformation. This study utilizes Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as its foundational theoretical framework to examine the privacy concerns that customers face when interacting with different types of last-mile delivery (LMD) services, specifically smart delivery lockers and courier stations. SCT, which emphasizes the role of observational learning, self-efficacy, and the interplay between individual and environmental factors, provides a lens through which the decision-making processes of customers can be analyzed in relation to their privacy and security concerns. This research conceptualizes different LMD services as separate service environments and employs two online survey-based experiments to delve into how privacy issues influence customers’ continuance intentions toward these services. By exploring these varying LMD options, the study seeks to understand how different service environments impact consumers’ perceptions of privacy and security, and consequently, their ongoing willingness to use these services. The findings of the study reveal that different LMD services provoke varying levels of privacy concerns among customers, which, in turn, affects their intentions to continue using these services. Additionally, the research underscores the moderating roles of factors such as information overload, time pressure, and Perceived Behavioral Control in shaping customers’ decision-making processes. These moderating variables influence how privacy concerns are evaluated and addressed, ultimately impacting customers’ preferences and behaviors regarding LMD service choices.