Is e-shopping likely to reduce shopping trips for car owners? A propensity score matching analysis

Reducing car use is commonly considered as a potential strategy to reduce transport-related problems such traffic congestion and air pollution. The increasing of online shopping may potentially replace trips, thus possibly reducing use. However, owners – compared non-car can more easily visit physical stores transport goods. Therefore, it be assumed that less likely trips for owners. Using 653 structured face-to-face interviews in Chengdu (China) 2016, an empirical study conducted. results show 44.0% respondents indicated decrease trip frequency after they started purchase online, while only 14.4% increase the frequency. This confirms tends substitute trips. Applying propensity score matching approach, this paper further compares likelihoods changes caused by buying between owners, considering sociodemographic factors, internet experiences, spatial attributes, attitudes covariates. indicate due there no significant difference likelihood non-owners. These findings imply not effectively driving, unlikely being valid solution transportation resulting from cars.