The advance of online shopping
The internet has offered an easy and quick solution to our love for shopping with a variety of options to select from. We can not only access products made in our locality but we can also purchase things from across borders without ever stepping out of our homes. As of today, about 80% of internet users in the US are expected to make at least one purchase online during a calendar year. In general, we spend less time in stores as we can shop from anywhere, anytime.
Shopping and global warming
It seems logical to assume that online shopping is good for the environment as goods are delivered straight to your home instead of going to the shops using private vehicles. But the truth is not that simple as there are other ways in which online shopping contributes to global warming. Due to failed deliveries, the delivery van either has to come a second or a third time or the customer has to go to the nearest warehouse to pick up their goods. This increases our carbon footprint. As more delivery vans and trucks enter cities today, congestion and pollution are on the rise.
Brick and mortar stores versus online shopping
According to a study, those who shop online halve their carbon footprint when compared to traditional in-store shoppers. Shoppers who review products online but go to the store to pick up and pay for their products produce as much carbon footprint as traditional shoppers. In case you live in the suburbs, environmental consciousness would ideally require you to do your shopping online, while those living in urban areas are better off opting for an in-store shopping experience. One of the interesting findings is that online shoppers will indeed have a lower environmental impact than traditional shoppers as long as they don’t go for speedy delivery.
General issues with delivery
Our growing love for speedy deliveries almost triples our carbon footprint, according to the latest studies. Online shopping also generates more carbon footprint in terms of the number of goods purchased as well as failed deliveries. The less the number of goods per purchase, the more carbon-intensive the transaction due to the packaging and miles traveled. The plot thickens when it comes to consumer trips. Failed delivery items result in multiple trips, which contribute to greenhouse emissions. The more the number of consumer trips, the more it generates greenhouse emissions. Just because a purchase was made online, it’s not guaranteed that customers will not want to return unwanted items or collect deliveries at collection points. It’s unrealistic to assume that all consumer trips to the store can be substituted by home deliveries. If all these factors are taken together, it turns out there is almost no difference between online shopping and in-store shopping.
Issues with basket size
The amount of carbon dioxide is doubled if consumers buy from online companies that don’t deliver from a local store. However, this is only true if the basket size is small. In fact, there is not much difference between the carbon footprint generated by online and in-store shopping per se when the basket size is small, but the difference slightly increases in favor of online shopping when the basket size is increased. Basket size should be maximized as a general rule of thumb. More environmental benefits can be achieved if we choose the right delivery method with the right basket size.
Overall, online shopping is more eco-friendly than in-store shopping, but only when consumers buy in clusters and don’t go for speedy next-day deliveries. Failed deliveries and returns are better kept at a minimum. Remember that online shopping is not environmental-friendly if you still make frequent trips to the store. With that said, the obvious personal advantages of online shopping are hard to deny, such as lower prices, the availability of detailed information and reviews, flexible return policies, or the possibility of 3rd party shipping insurance. Thus, at the end of the day, it all boils down to how we exercise discretion in these matters. Be on the lookout for those companies that have recognized the potentiality of going green and offer green shipping and eco-friendly shipping solutions.
