E-Shopping, Spatial Attributes, and Personal Travel

Abstract

In an era of unprecedented proliferation of e-shopping, retailers and planners are interested in the changes that it will bring. Recently, several empirical studies have explored the influence of spatial attributes on e-shopping and its impacts on individuals’ activity travel patterns. This study evaluates the progress that has been made, provides a critique of previous research, and discusses the improvements in research methodology needed to enhance understanding of the connections among e-shopping, spatial attitudes, and travel behavior. In particular, this review highlights the importance of ( a) controlling for shopping preferences and household shopping responsibility, ( b) exploring multiple dimensions of travel behavior, ( c) testing the connections that depend on time scale, ( d) deconstructing the shopping process, ( e) differentiating product types, ( f) demonstrating the oomph of coefficient estimates, ( g) integrating shopping surveys and activity diaries, and ( h) identifying shopping accessibility on the basis of the search area for products when its impacts on e-shopping are being tested.