50661 Transportation and Logistics Economics, Fall 2023
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50661 Transportation and Logistics Economics, Fall 2023
Department of International Logistics
College of Business and Economics
“Examining the Implications of Online Shopping VS Physical Shopping”
Step 1. Shopping data collection
. Each student will collect at least ten online shopping records over time and examine their personal, transportation, and external costs.
. Based on the collected records, each student will imagine the occasions where each online shopping was done at a physical location.
. Again, the personal, transportation, and external costs of the hypothetical physical shopping will be examined.
. This is a personal project.
. No private or sensitive information will be asked.
. You may use the supplemental Excel file for cost calculation.
. Each student will collect at least ten online and ten corresponding hypothetical physical shopping occasions.
. The requirement of “Ten records” is a minimum. More data will help you understand the statistical pattern better.
o You may use your past shopping records if you can find all the relevant data.
o You may use your family members’ online shopping records. Then, you must assume and make decisions for your family member’s hypothetical physical shopping choices among possible shopping options.
o No interchange among classmates is permitted.
Step 2. Implications of your shopping choices
. Each student will summarize the cost statistics and write a discussion of the following topics.
. What are the primary incentives for choosing online shopping vs. physical
shopping? For example, sellers’ incentives are convenience, cost-effectiveness,
bigger consumer markets, product diversity, and access to 24/7 business. You may consider consumers’ incentives (e.g., free and instant delivery?). Why do you think you shop online vs. at a physical location?
. Do you think you have experienced an increase in the total number of shopping
occasions? How is it? Was it because you have access to online shopping and all its
convenience? Has your convenient access to product information online led to more shopping occasions than usual? Do you think online shopping can entirely replace
physical shopping? Or does it supplement physical shopping, leading to more
shopping occasions overall when online and physical shopping are combined? Do you have any other explanations?
. Do you notice a pattern when comparing the costs (personal, transportation, and external costs) between online and physical shopping? What are the implications of personal, transportation, and external costs to the retailer, the carrier, yourself, and society?
. Your writing must not exceed 500 words.
Grading
This assignment paper is worth 30% of your grade and will consist of two sections of scores: 1) Calculations of personal, transportation, and external costs of both online and
physical shopping (10%) – Deadline by the end of Week 11 (Nov. 16th at 11:59 PM) 2) Discussion of the implications of your shopping behavior (20%) – Deadline by the
end of Week 14 (Dec. 7th at 11:59 PM)
2023-10-20