The impact of sustainable supply chain practices and out-of-home delivery on e-satisfaction, e-loyalty, and willingness to pay: A mixed-methods study on consumers

In today's rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, shaped by accelerated digitalization and shifting consumer behaviors, the widespread adoption of online shopping—particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic—has amplified the significance of sustainable logistics practices. Increasing order volumes, environmental impacts, carbon emissions, and heightened expectations regarding delivery times have underscored the need for more efficient, flexible, and eco-friendly delivery solutions. In this context, out-of-home delivery services and the dimensions of social, environmental, and economic sustainability have emerged as key variables with the potential to influence consumer behavior. Accordingly, the purpose of this dissertation is to examine the effects of sustainable supply chain practices and out-of-home delivery models on e-satisfaction, e-loyalty, and willingness to pay, through the lens of consumer perceptions. The research adopts an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In the first phase, quantitative data were collected via a survey administered to over 300 consumers; in the second phase, qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted with 27 participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, while the qualitative data were evaluated through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the social and environmental dimensions of sustainability have a significant impact on e-satisfaction, while the economic and environmental dimensions significantly influence e-loyalty. None of the three dimensions of sustainability were found to have a significant and positive effect on willingness to pay. The economic dimension of sustainability did not show a significant effect on satisfaction, likely because it is not directly perceived by consumers. Out-of-home delivery practices were found to enhance e-satisfaction and willingness to pay by offering advantages such as flexibility, time savings, and accessibility. Finally, the results revealed that e-satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on e-loyalty, and e-loyalty, in turn, significantly and positively affects willingness to pay. This study aims to develop an original and integrative model that examines sustainable supply chain management, out-of-home delivery, and key consumer outcomes in e-commerce, namely e-satisfaction, e-loyalty, and willingness to pay. Grounded in the Social Identity Theory (SIT), the Green Consumer Behavior Approach, and supported by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), the proposed theoretical framework explains how sustainable supply chain practices and out-of-home delivery services shape consumer behavior. Moreover, by investigating the level of awareness of sustainable delivery services in the Turkish context and analyzing their effects on e-satisfaction, e-loyalty, and payment behavior, this research is expected to provide significant contributions to both academic literature and practical implications for logistics and marketing strategies.