A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of last-mile E-commerce delivery in urban areas

ABSTRACT

This research examines the impact of e-commerce on urban last-mile distribution through a comprehensive analysis of scientific studies. A corpus of 317 publications spanning two decades was reviewed, identifying 111 pertinent sources. Utilizing bibliometric analysis and systematic assessment, the study reveals the effects of e-commerce on last-mile delivery comprehensively. Key findings encompass environmental, economic, social, and technological impacts. Notably, while existing research has explored these aspects, the spatial impact of e-commerce remains inadequately addressed. This paper bridges this gap, contributing to the discussion on freight sustainability by elucidating current trends and outlining future research directions in last-mile e-commerce delivery. By providing insights into prevailing research trends and outlining potential avenues for further exploration, this article enriches scholarly discourse on freight sustainability.

KEYWORDS:

• E-commerce
• urban logistics
• last mile delivery
• bibliometric analysis
• literature review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).