sustainability-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Sustainable E-commerce: Understanding the Motivations and Challenges

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2024) | Viewed by 18739

Special Issue Editors

Department of Marketing, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK
Interests: digital marketing; sustainable consumption; consumer behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK
Interests: consumer behaviour; digital marketing; tourism marketing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Management, College of Business, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Interests: consumer behaviour; sustainability; e-commerce

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the growing number of people taking advantage of e-commerce businesses today, due to the range of products available and the possibility to compare prices, customers have increased their requirements, and now often demand green or sustainable e-commerce shopping (Guo et al., 2018). Companies that follow a sustainable business model with a clear statement of goals and values focused on sustainability attract more consumers and obtain a competitive advantage (Wouter, 2016). For a business model to be considered sustainable, the focus is on all dimensions of sustainability, unlike a traditional business model, which solely focuses on economic sustainability (Sun et al., 2021).

Since companies all over the world are involved in e-commerce, there is a need to ensure that their activities do not put the world into jeopardy by endangering sustainability (Pratap et al., 2022). They need to preserve the environment, avoid environmental destruction, and ensure the continuation of humankind (Choi and Mai, 2018). Where sustainable development is not ensured, there will be negative consequences that may lead to the depletion of ecosystems. Therefore, companies need to adopt user-friendly features that preserve and improve customer relationships.

The growth of e-commerce has led to an increase in orders delivered to customers, resulting in high emissions of CO2 and even greater traffic congestion in cities. The e-commerce delivery of B2C goods accounts for 61% of the current total e-commerce shipments, which has led to increasing environmental pollution (Kumar et al., 2018). This is not expected to reduce any time soon because of the increase in the number of online shoppers and retailers. Previous studies have shown there is a need to balance and increase knowledge for sustainable e-commerce in virtual marketplaces (Escursell et al., 2021). Studies on sustainable e-commerce and its business models are gaining traction (Oláh et al., 2018), and this continues as a highly topical subject due to the continued increased growth of the digital market. Still, there are several challenges related to e-commerce and sustainability. This Special Issue is seeking studies and theoretical perspectives that explore the motivations and challenges of sustainable e-commerce. Thus, this Special Issue contributes to the growing literature on sustainability in marketing and practice by providing useful insights about the motivations and challenges of sustainable e-commerce.

References

  1. Choi, Y.; Mai, D.Q. The Sustainable Role of the E-Trust in the B2C E-Commerce of Vietnam. Sustainability 2018, 10, 291.
  2. Escursell, S.; Llorach-Massana, P.; Roncero, M.B. Sustainability in e-commerce packaging: A review. J. Clean. Prod. 2021, 280, 124314.
  3. Guo, Y.; Yin, C.; Li, M.; Ren, X.; Liu, P. Mobile e-Commerce Recommendation System Based on Multi-Source Information Fusion for Sustainable e-Business. Sustainability 2018, 10, 147.
  4. Kumar, N.; Anusara, J.; Hossin, M.A.; Sarkar, M.K.; Chanthamith, B.; Shah, S.; Russel, M.I.H. Challenges and opportunities of e-commerce in India: Pathway for sustainable e-commerce. Int. J. Eng. Bus. Manag. 2018, 2, 13–21.
  5. Oláh, J.; Kitukutha, N.; Haddad, H.; Pakurár, M.; Máté, D.; Popp, J. Achieving Sustainable E-Commerce in Environmental, Social and Economic Dimensions by Taking Possible Trade-Offs. Sustainability 2019, 11, 89.
  6. Pratap, S.; Jauhar, S.K.; Daultani, Y.; Paul, S.K. Benchmarking sustainable E-commerce enterprises based on evolving customer expectations amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Bus. Strategy Environ. 2022, 32, 736–752.
  7. Sun, M.; Grondys, K.; Hajiyev, N.; Zhukov, P. Improving the E-Commerce Business Model in a Sustainable Environment. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12667.
  8. Wouter, V. E-commerce deliveries 2.0: towards a sustainable e-commerce. In Economic and Social Development, Proceedings of the 16th International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social; Varazdin Development and Entrepreneurship Agency: Varazdin, Croatia, 2016; p. 653.

Dr. Gomaa Agag
Dr. Ziad H. Abdelmoety
Dr. Mansour Alyahya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • e-commerce
  • digital marketing
  • sustainable e-commerce
  • e-commerce management

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
Toward a Sustainable Development of E-Commerce in EU: The Role of Education, Internet Infrastructure, Income, and Economic Freedom on E-Commerce Growth
by Nicolae Marius Jula, Gabriel Ilie Staicu, Liviu Cătălin Moraru and Dumitru Alexandru Bodislav
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3809; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093809 - 1 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2167
Abstract
The emergence of e-commerce reshaped the traditional trade models, also playing a significant role in meeting the UN sustainable development goals. According to the UN, sustained growth and social development must include resilient infrastructure, foster innovation, allow for better access to information and [...] Read more.
The emergence of e-commerce reshaped the traditional trade models, also playing a significant role in meeting the UN sustainable development goals. According to the UN, sustained growth and social development must include resilient infrastructure, foster innovation, allow for better access to information and communications technology, and universal and affordable internet infrastructure. This study explores a multidimensional analysis of e-commerce development in the EU generated by the following factors: education, internet infrastructure, income, and economic freedom. We use an ARDL econometric model and Eurostat data. Additionally, we analyze the time responsiveness of e-commerce growth to changes in these factors. In the long run, our findings identify a stable and positive relationship between e-commerce and all these factors. However, in the short run, our results illustrate significant dynamics between two variables and e-commerce. Specifically, the level of internet access and the percentage of individuals who use the internet daily exhibit a positive short-run impact on e-commerce sales, with the system absorbing shocks within a short period. This research advocates for targeted policies that support innovation, fair competition, and consumer protection in the digital economy. This research provides valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in improving the institutional framework to promote a sustainable development of e-commerce in the EU. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable E-commerce: Understanding the Motivations and Challenges)
16 pages, 1369 KiB  
Article
Sustainability and Consumer Behavior in Electronic Commerce
by Lenka Štofejová, Štefan Kráľ, Richard Fedorko, Radovan Bačík and Mária Tomášová
Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15902; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215902 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 8098
Abstract
Environmental awareness among consumers is on the rise as they are starting to prefer sustainable products and services. The aim of this research was to examine the relationships between consumer behavior when shopping online for green products and the factors that influence it [...] Read more.
Environmental awareness among consumers is on the rise as they are starting to prefer sustainable products and services. The aim of this research was to examine the relationships between consumer behavior when shopping online for green products and the factors that influence it from the point of view of sustainability. Primary data were obtained using a questionnaire survey and subsequently processed using descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The obtained research results showed that Digitization in Green Marketing has a significant impact on Environmental Attitude, and that aspects like Environmental Attitude, Environmental Oriented Lifestyle, Willingness to Pay for Green Products and Subjective Norms have a significant impact on Environmental Purchasing Behavior. Moreover, the study found that the factors Environmental Oriented Lifestyle, Willingness to Pay for Green Products, Subjective Norms and Environmental Purchasing Behavior have a significant impact on Future Purchase Intention. The research results can help online retailers in planning and implementing green marketing strategies not only in sales but also in other business processes. In order to stay competitive, businesses should be able to respond promptly to changes in consumer behavior trends, while it is undeniable that the aspect of sustainability plays an increasingly important role here. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable E-commerce: Understanding the Motivations and Challenges)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2880 KiB  
Article
Unlocking the Potential of E-Commerce in Yemen: Identifying Key Impacting Factors and Exploring Strategic Solutions
by Yaser Khaled Al Harazi, Gang Tian, Syed Ahsan Ali Shah, Ahmed Khaled Al Harazi, Saleh Yahya Alwan and Amr Mohammed Ali Amer
Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13712; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813712 - 14 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2773
Abstract
This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the e-commerce ecosystem in Yemen, identifying key opportunities and impacting factors to growth, and suggesting suitable strategies for e-commerce startups. The study employs an integrated methodical approach, combining a literature review, and data analysis using Grey [...] Read more.
This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the e-commerce ecosystem in Yemen, identifying key opportunities and impacting factors to growth, and suggesting suitable strategies for e-commerce startups. The study employs an integrated methodical approach, combining a literature review, and data analysis using Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process (Grey AHP) and Grey Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Grey TOPSIS). The literature review identifies opportunities, challenges, and strategic solutions. The Grey AHP assesses the relative importance of opportunities and challenges. The Grey TOPSIS ranks the best strategies that e-commerce startups in Yemen can adopt to leverage these opportunities and manage the negative effects of the barriers. The results show that large market potential, the underserved market, and the growing middle class represent the most significant opportunities. In contrast, economic and political instability, logistical challenges, and the lack of trust in online payments are the most significant impacting factors. To overcome these challenges, the top three strategies recommended are building strategic partnerships, offering secure payment and delivery options, and targeting the underserved market. By implementing these strategies, the e-commerce ecosystem in Yemen can prosper, take advantage of opportunities, and contribute to the country’s economic development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable E-commerce: Understanding the Motivations and Challenges)
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2456 KiB  
Article
The Antecedents of Hotels’ Green Creativity: The Role of Green HRM, Environmentally Specific Servant Leadership, and Psychological Green Climate
by Mansour Alyahya, Meqbel Aliedan, Gomaa Agag and Ziad H. Abdelmoety
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2629; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032629 - 1 Feb 2023
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4190
Abstract
As a consequence of climate change, hotels are under mounting pressure to cut their carbon emissions, reduce their waste, and overall become more responsible in their operations. Given this context, experts claim that organisational human resources practices have immense ability to mould the [...] Read more.
As a consequence of climate change, hotels are under mounting pressure to cut their carbon emissions, reduce their waste, and overall become more responsible in their operations. Given this context, experts claim that organisational human resources practices have immense ability to mould the behaviours of individuals. On the basis of w theory, we used a configuration of green human resources management, environmentally specific servant leadership, and psychological green climate to develop causal recipes for stimulating green creativity in hotel employees. Data were collected from 418 employees and analysed using an fsQCA to test the proposed model. Findings revealed that no single construct was sufficient to predict employees’ green creativity, but three causal recipes (i.e., green human respurces management, environmentally specific servant leadership, and psychological green climate) can be demonstrated to produce high green creativity. The study findings show that green human resources managment practices influence individual green creativity. It also indicated that environmentally specific servant leadership is a key driver of green creativity. Moreover, psychological green climate has a signifcant influence on green creativity. Our study has meaningful implications for hotel managers that can help them to develop new approaches and strategies to improve the employees’ green creativity by paying attention to green human resources managment practices, environmentally specific servant leadership, and psychological green climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable E-commerce: Understanding the Motivations and Challenges)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop