The Final Mile Maze: Optimising Delivery Networks in High-Density Urban Hubs: An Empirical Study of Urban E-Commerce Delivery Users and Logistics Stakeholders

Author

Abdalrhman Salah, Dr. Venkateswararao Podile

Abstract

 Last-mile delivery in high-density urban hubs is among the most costly and least efficient stages of the e-commerce supply chain. This study examines how urban e-commerce delivery users and logistics stakeholders perceive the challenges of last-mile delivery and the value of delivery network optimisation. A structured questionnaire covering five objectives (delivery challenges, route optimisation, technology, customer satisfaction and optimisation strategies) was analysed for 50 respondents. Percentages, means, standard deviations and bar charts were used to profile respondents and summarise perceptions. A Chi-square test examined the association between delivery frequency and frequent traffic-related delays, and one-way ANOVA compared the perceived importance of route optimisation across groups defined by perceived delivery difficulty. Traffic congestion (44.0%) and high delivery density (30.0%) were the greatest challenges, and 74.0% of respondents rated last-mile delivery difficulty as high or very high. Route optimisation (M = 3.82) and real-time traffic information (M = 4.00) were rated important. Neither inferential test was statistically significant (χ² = 1.282, p = 0.258; F = 0.377, p = 0.688), indicating that support for optimisation is broad-based rather than confined to particular respondent groups. Responses for the technology, satisfaction and strategy sections (Objectives 3–5) are illustrative and are reported to demonstrate the complete research process.

Keywords

Last-Mile Delivery; Urban Logistics; Route Optimisation; Delivery Network Optimisation; E-Commerce; High-Density Urban Hubs; Customer Satisfaction; Chi-Square; ANOVA.

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