ARTICLE

https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01428-6 OPEN

Impact of smart locker use on customer

satisfaction of online shoppers in Vietnam
Nguyen Hong Quan 1, Nguyen Thi Binh1 ✉ & Bui Thi Ly1

In recent years, smart lockers have been increasingly utilised in the last-mile delivery stage of
e-commerce. Although this technological advance has received significant scientific attention,
1234567890():,;

especially in developed countries, little is known about the general behaviour of Smart Locker
users. This study aimed to explore the impact of smart locker use on customer satisfaction
with online shopping experience. We used structural equation modelling to analyse data
collected from 442 smart locker users in Vietnam. The results revealed that convenience,
privacy and security, and reliability attributes significantly impacted the satisfaction of smart
locker users through the mediators of perceived value and transaction costs. These findings
are expected to reinforce the utilised theories and enrich theoretical research on self-service
technologies in last-mile delivery and their influence on consumer behaviour.

1 Foreign Trade University, Hanoi, Vietnam. ✉email: ntbinh@ftu.edu.vn

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I
Introduction
n the context of rapid e-commerce growth, e-retailers must
pay more attention to customer experience to gain a compe-
titive edge (Pine and Gilmore, 2011; Verhoef et al., 2009).
Consequently, a significant amount of research has been con-
ducted to explore the determinants and tools that affect customer
satisfaction in online shopping (Jun et al., 2004; Liu et al., 2008;
Alam and Yasin, 2010; Guo et al., 2012; Wu, 2013; Shahin et al.,
2014; Vasić et al., 2019). Last-mile delivery significantly impacts
customer satisfaction in an online shopping environment (Liu
et al., 2008; Alam and Yasin, 2010; Guo et al., 2012; Vasić et al.,
2019; Rahi et al., 2020). The quality of the delivery service is
usually reflected in measurement items, such as delivery relia-
bility, delivery time, package safety, shipping costs, with time-
liness and reliability commonly recognised as the most
appreciated factor by customers (Ziaullah et al., 2014; Vasić et al.,
2020). Novel delivery solutions have emerged to reduce the
increasing pressure on e-commerce logistics, particularly on last-
mile delivery, and improve customer satisfaction (Ferrucci and
Bock, 2014). Smart Locker is a technology that received ample
attention from e-commerce businesses, logistics service providers,
and scholars.
Smart Lockers are self-service pick-up lockers that provide 24-
hour service and allow users to collect their goods flexibly
(Mostakim et al., 2019). They offer customers a new and simple
last-mile delivery method that requires no on-site staff operation
(Montreuil, 2016). Several benefits of this delivery service have
been identified. It eliminates home delivery failure and redelivery
and takes advantage of economies of scale by collecting and
delivering the goods to one location, thereby reducing last-mile
delivery costs (Zenezini et al., 2018; Van Duin et al., 2020). It has a
positive impact on the environment by minimising traffic con-
gestion, noise pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions due to
fewer delivery trips (Chen et al., 2018; Ranieri et al., 2018). It
allows customers to pick-up goods in their most favourable con-
ditions, without the need to wait at home for a delivery or depend
on the courier (Djelassi et al., 2018). However, most studies have
focused on developed e-commerce markets with larger size and
higher growth rates, such as China and Sweden, whereas infor-
mation on emerging e-commerce markets, such as Vietnam, is
scarce. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, existing
research has not considered the impact of using Smart Lockers on
e-customer satisfaction. This topic merits investigation, as last-
mile delivery methods may affect e-customer satisfaction differ-
ently. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship
between Smart Locker use and customer satisfaction with online
shopping experience in Vietnam. We proposed a model for impact
assessment of Smart Lockers on customer satisfaction to identify
differences between emerging and established e-commerce mar-
kets. The study is expected to enrich the theoretical and empirical
understanding of the impact of last-mile delivery on consumer
behaviour and offer e-commerce businesses a new perspective on
the role of last-mile delivery in enhancing customer satisfaction.
Theoretical framework
Smart Locker technology. Smart Lockers are customisable and
scalable electronic systems that leverage cloud computing to
provide users discernible rooms for the collection of documents
or packages (Yuen et al., 2019). Smart Lockers can be understood
as automatic storage lockers that do not need to be operated or
managed by employees. They are fixed in a safe location outside
the customer’s residence, such as ground floor of an apartment
building, workplace, parking lot, and train station, and can be
opened with a key or electronic code. Smart Lockers are largely
used in parcel delivery services; however, they can also be applied
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to the food delivery sector if temperature control devices are
included (Iwan et al., 2016).
Therefore, Smart Lockers are a type of self-service technology
(SST), where the customer is partly responsible for the value
creation process (Svensson and Grönroos, 2008) and can also be
viewed as a service provider (Meuter et al., 2000). Smart Lockers
created a new B2C distribution channel, offering customers a
simple delivery option that requires no on-site staff operations
(Montreuil, 2016). Focusing on the reduction of failed deliveries
due to consignee not showing up or refusing to pick up, and
leveraging opportunities for consolidated shipping, Smart Lockers
are increasingly seen as a promising solution for last-mile
deliveries and return.
Customer satisfaction with self-service technology. Determi-
nants of customer satisfaction with SST have received increasing
attention since the early 2000s. Various theoretical frameworks
were utilised to analyse the potential sources of satisfaction (Table 1).
Previous research has examined the antecedents of SST
satisfaction and factors mediating their impact on the level of
satisfaction. Direct or indirect determinants can be divided into two
groups: service quality attributes (functional value) and perceived
value (emotional value). Djelassi et al. (2018) demonstrated the
mediating effects of SST satisfaction on the relationship between
SST experience evaluation and customer satisfaction in retail.
Consumer theories. In the domain of information systems,
customer satisfaction is the key driving factor in the continuance
of repurchase intention (Churchill and Surprenant 1982;
Bhattacherjee, 2001; Wang, 2012; Djelassi et al., 2018). Yuen et al.
(2019) integrated the theories of resource matching, perceived
value, and transaction cost to create a model to evaluate custo-
mers’ intention to repeatedly use Smart Lockers for last-mile
delivery. All three theories were applicable to explain customer
satisfaction. The combination of the theories provided a more
comprehensive approach to examine customers’ post-use eva-
luation of their experience with Smart Lockers.
The resource matching theory offers insights into how Smart
Locker attributes could lower users’ perceived effort and improve
satisfaction with the experience. SSTs require various resources
from customers, such as time, money, and cognitive and physical
effort (Collier and Kimes, 2013). While individuals’ available
resources are dependent on their motivation and ability, what
they perceive as necessary can be altered through the design and
management of the service (Chen et al., 2018).
The perceived value theory, which can be seen as an extension
of the resource matching theory, supports the argument that the
efficient matching of resources, influenced by Smart Locker
attributes, including convenience, privacy and security, and
reliability, promotes customers’ perceived value and improves
service satisfaction. A multi-dimensional scale has been applied to
measure the perceived value of Smart Locker use. The scale
consists of three utility dimensions: functional, such as utility and
performance, hedonic, such as feelings and affection, and social,
such as positive externality (Sweeney and Soutar, 2001; Wang
et al., 2004; Yuen et al., 2019). This study omitted the economic
value dimension, as customers were not surcharged for using
Smart Lockers in the surveyed services.
The transaction cost theory, which can also be seen as an
extension of the resource matching theory, posits that transaction
costs reflect the complexity of an exchange: the higher the
complexity, the higher the costs (Williamson, 2008). The present
study used the transaction cost theory to explain how better
resource matching reduces transaction costs, proposing that
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Table 1 Critical studies on customer satisfaction with self-service technology.

Source Sector—country Theoretical framework Method Key points

Wang (2012) Convenience store chain—Taiwan The Expectation—Confirmation
Model in the context of IT
(Bhattacherjee, 2001)
Boon-itt (2015) Digital banking—Thailand The Technology Acceptance Model Structural
(Davis et al., 1989) and the SST
adoption model (Bitner et al., 2000) modelling
Djelassi et al. (2018) Mass retail chain—France An original mediation model
Tang et al. (2021) e-Commerce—China The SERVQUAL model
(Parasuraman et al., 1988), the
logistics service quality evaluation
model (Mentzer et al., 2001), and
the modified model of e-service
quality (Raza et al., 2020)
Structural Antecedents of SST satisfaction are
equation (1) perceived usefulness, (2)
modelling perceived enjoyment, (3) perceived
control and (4) perceived
convenience. Elements (1) & (2)
impact (3) & (4) and then consumer
satisfaction. In addition, while (2) has
a positive impact on consumer
satisfaction, (1) does not.
Technology readiness acts as an
equation antecedent that influences the
service quality of SST, which in turn
affects e-satisfaction. Even though
the service quality of SST positively
influences e-satisfaction, perceived
value mediates the level of impact.
Structural Waiting time satisfaction mediates
equation the relationship between SST
modelling experience evaluation and its
satisfaction, then significantly
mediates the effect of SST
experience evaluation on the
customer satisfaction towards the
retail store.
Confirmatory The service quality of IoT-based
factor smart parcel lockers is assessed on
analysis five dimensions: price, reliability,
convenience, fault handling
capability, and diversity, among
which service price does not have a
positive impact on consumer
satisfaction.

Source: Compiled by the author.

consumers do not evaluate a service solely on its price or benefits
but also on the opportunity costs incurred as a result of using
that service. Two essential indicators of transaction costs are
perceived ease of use and time efficiency (Devaraj et al., 2002).
We measured transaction costs as the costs of searching,
learning, and effort involved in Smart Locker use (Tate et al.,
2011; Yuen et al., 2019).
Hypothesis development
The effects of convenience, privacy and security, and reliability on
perceived value and transaction costs. Smart Locker hubs placed
within close vicinity of customers’ domicile, workplace, and traffic
intersections are geographically more convenient for those who
commute (Yuen et al., 2019). Furthermore, customers can retrieve
their packages from Smart Locker hubs at any convenient time in
lieu of waiting at home for the courier (Chen et al., 2018).
Moreover, in the era of digitalisation, customers are more prone
to accept and quickly respond to new technologies, especially if
they are smartphone-based (Turkle, 2017). Consequently, the
effort required to learn and use Smart Lockers is low, as infor-
mation, such as delivery time, OTP code, instructions, and poli-
cies, is exchanged through mobile devices. Thus, this study
proposed that convenience can enhance customers’ perceived
value through improving functional (i.e., reduced unproductive
use of time and decreased effort) and emotional (i.e., creation of
excitement and enjoyment) utility.
H1a: Smart Locker convenience positively affects customers’
perceived value.: Smart Locker hubs located near customers’
residence or locations they frequent for daily tasks have the ability
to reduce the amount of time and money required for travelling,
resulting in lower transaction costs (Liu et al., 2019). In addition,
Smart Lockers improve time efficiency by eliminating unnecessary
waiting commonly present in door-to-door delivery and offering
round-the-clock accessibility, which in turn reduces transaction
costs. Furthermore, by virtue of the smart and user-friendly
design, Smart Lockers require low transaction costs in the process
of learning and using the service (Alaghehband et al., 2011).
H2a: Smart Locker convenience negatively affects customers’
transaction costs.: In comparison with home delivery or collection
points, such as stores in the PostCo system employed by Lazada,
Smart Lockers have the advantage of requiring no human-to-
human interactions (Featherman et al., 2010). This unique trait
protects customers against the risk of exposing private informa-
tion, such as phone numbers and addresses, to logistics compa-
nies’ employees. All personal data are encrypted in the system
and customers are asked to authenticate their identity to gain
access to the parcels. Conversely, security policies, the function of
which is to advise customers of the way a company would treat
their personal data, provide critical insights into the service
provider’s security system (Xu et al., 2011). Such policies can
positively contribute to enhancing customers’ trust and mini-
mising concern over privacy violations (Chua et al., 2017).
Therefore, privacy and security increases customers’ perceived
value regarding functional (i.e., through value co-creation and
perceived level of security provided), hedonic (i.e., a sense of trust
and safety), and social (i.e., better compliance with social norms

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and general demand for information security) utility (Lee and
Lyu, 2016; Wang and Lin, 2017).
H1b: Privacy and security positively affect customers’ perceived
value.: Although security protocols, such as entering OTP codes
and ID numbers and scanning QR codes, can potentially com-
plicate the interaction with the interface, these features encourage
trust from customers, thus reducing perceived security risks
associated with the use of Smart Lockers (Wang and Lin, 2017).
Improvements in privacy and security directly and indirectly
lower transaction costs. Costs can arise from dealing with the
aftermath of security issues, such as identity theft, misuse of
personal data, unauthorised access of users’ account, and security
system breaches; however, they can also manifest in the form of
unnecessary precautions, such as time and effort spent researching
the security system, assessing the risks of handing over informa-
tion to that system, and adopting preventive measures against
potential violation (Song et al., 2016; Yuen et al., 2019).
H2b: Privacy and security negatively affect customers’ transaction
costs.: Smart Lockers minimise the number of unsuccessful
deliveries and are considered more reliable compared to home
delivery (Faugere and Montreuil, 2017). Smart Locker customers
receive notices from the logistics operator once the parcels have
reached the designated hub and are ready for retrieval. Humans
are predisposed to errors regarding knowledge, operation, and
judgement, creating an increasing need for an automated struc-
ture capable of minimising manual control and enhancing last-
mile logistics reliability (Chang and Wang, 2011). These traits
heighten customers’ perceived value of the functional (i.e., an
error-free service encounter) and hedonic (i.e., a more enjoyable
experience) aspects (Yuen et al., 2019).
H1c: Smart Locker reliability positively affects customers’
perceived value.: Smart Lockers can reduce avoidable transac-
tion costs caused by delayed or unsuccessful delivery (Akeb et al.,
2018). Potential sources of costs may be the customers’ specific
situation, such as time and effort wasted waiting for the courier,
delaying and rescheduling the delivery, and asking another per-
son to take temporary custody of the parcels, or their interactions
with the transport operator, such as time and effort spent on
retrieving misdelivered packages and contacting customer service.
H2c: Smart Locker reliability negatively affects customers’
transaction costs.
The mediating effects of perceived value and transaction costs on
customer satisfaction with Smart Lockers. Koo (2006) used the
means-end chain theory and suggested that customers’ percep-
tions of value guide their judgement on relevant attributes and
Consumer
Theories Applied
SSL
Customer
Value
Convenience
Perceived
Value
Privacy and
Security Transaction
Cost
Reliability
Fig. 1 Conceptual framework model.
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service. Consequently, if customers recognise the amount of
utility obtained from using the service as improving or helpful to
achieve their personal values (i.e., instrumental and terminal
values), they develop positive feelings toward the service. The idea
that perceived value mediates the effect of perceived quality on
customer satisfaction aligns with one of the central hypotheses of
the Customer Satisfaction Index model (Hsu, 2008). In addition,
perceived value has been empirically proven to have a positive
impact on customer satisfaction in the context of SST (Boon-itt,
2015; Kim and Park, 2019; De Leon et al., 2020).
H3: Perceived value positively affects customer satisfaction with
Smart Lockers.: According to Devaraj et al. (2002), any decrease
in transaction costs, captured in time efficiency and perceived
ease of use, leads to increased customer satisfaction. This means
that when a rational customer incurs lower opportunity costs (i.e.,
time and effort) as a result of using a service, they will feel more
satisfied with it. This idea has been empirically supported in prior
studies (Jones and Leonard, 2007; Su et al., 2008). Therefore, the
following hypothesis was proposed:
H4: Transaction costs negatively affect customer satisfaction
with Smart Lockers.
The effect of customer satisfaction with Smart Lockers on the
overall satisfaction with the e-commerce experience. Lemon and
Verhoef (2016) developed a comprehensive model depicting
customers’ journey, starting from the pre-purchase phase, flowing
through purchase, and culminating in post-purchase. In the B2C
context, it can be concluded that e-customers’ experience does
not end until they gain physical possession of the goods. Jiang
and Rosenbloom (2005) provide empirical evidence for changes
in customer satisfaction at checkout and after delivery. Although
this phenomenon could be blamed on the products’ failure to
meet expectations, last-mile logistics, such as delivery reliability
and consistency, are also critical. In addition, customers do not
view retail experiences as separate encounters with different firms
but rather as a connected overall experience created by a service
delivery network made up of two or more organisations (Tax
et al., 2013). Therefore, satisfaction with last-mile logistics is a
variable dictating the outcome of overall satisfaction.
H5: Customer satisfaction with Smart Lockers positively affects
the overall satisfaction with the e-commerce experience.: Overall,
the conceptual framework model adopted in this study is pre-
sented in Fig. 1.
Methods
This study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse
the impact of Smart Locker use on online shopping customer
Customer Satisfaction
SSL Customer E-commerce Customer
Satisfaction Satisfaction
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satisfaction. SEM is a powerful technique that can combine
complex path models with latent variables (factors). Therefore, it
fits our system of relationships between constructs rather than a
dependent variable with a set of independent variables. Previous
studies on online shopping and SST used Likert-scale analyses
with SEM for path models (Porter and Donthu 2006; Yuen et al.,
2019).
This study used covariance-based (CB)-SEM, as it is more
appropriate for theory testing or confirmation, whereas partial
least squares (PLS)-SEM is useful if the objective is for prediction
of the endogenous variables (Jannoo et al., 2014). This was con-
sistent with the purpose of our study, which was to test the
hypotheses for the impact of factors related to Smart Locker use
on customer satisfaction when buying online. Furthermore, PLS-
SEM path estimates are less precise than CB-SEM under both
normal and non-normal conditions when sample size is sufficient
(Jannoo et al., 2014).
Measuring observed variables. We proposed a measurement
scale based on existing studies, which included 30 manifest
variables corresponding to seven factors, to measure observed
variables in the model. An expert panel discussion was employed
to assess the relevance of the existing scale to Vietnamese users’
characteristics, thereby eliminating inappropriate items and
introducing new ones (Table 2).
The survey questionnaire was translated and calibrated in the
Vietnamese language. Before conducting the survey, we con-
ducted a pilot survey with 12 random Smart Locker users to
ensure the clarity and straightforwardness of the questionnaire.
Consequently, the final questionnaire was respondent-friendly.
The first section consisted of 14 questions, measuring the
experience of using the Smart Locker service in three aspects:
convenience, privacy and security, and reliability. The second
section consisted of eight questions concerning perceived value
and transaction costs. The third section consisted of eight
questions, measuring user satisfaction with Smart Lockers and
overall customer satisfaction with the online shopping experience
that involved this logistics service. All items were measured using
a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly
agree).
In addition, questions regarding general information were
included to provide a demographic profile of the data and a better
understanding of users’ online buying habits (Table 3).
Sampling. The sample size was determined to ensure the stan-
dards for using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory
factor analysis (CFA), and SEM analysis and corresponded to the
number of factors and observed variables of the proposed model.
Based on Hair et al. (2014), EFA consisting of seven factors and
30 manifest variables requires a sample size of 150 to 300. Based
on Myers et al. (2011), the minimum sample size required for
CFA is 300. Furthermore, according to Hair et al. (2014), SEM
requires a sample size determined based on the number of factors
and communalities value in EFA analysis.
With the mentioned characteristics of the proposed model, the
minimum sample size was 150 (with the value of communalities
when analysing EFA being from 0.5 or more) or 300 (with the
value of communalities when analysing EFA being from 0.45).
Thus, this study used a sample size of 500 to ensure that the
conditions for performing the above analysis were satisfied.
Data collection. The survey was conducted over a period of
30 days, from March 5, 2021 to April 4, 2021. The respondents
were people who have used Smart Lockers when shopping online
in Vietnam. During the investigation, we received strong support
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ARTICLE
from a leading company in providing intelligent delivery solutions
in Vietnam to reach the target respondents and ensure reliability.
To ensure the representativeness and reliability of the sample
during the research process, as well as accessibility, we sent 500
questionnaires through three channels: 42% of the questionnaires
were directly distributed at hubs in Hanoi, 18% were distributed
via phone calls, and 40%, over the Internet. The study purpose,
anonymity, and voluntary nature of participation were explained
to the participants before responding to the survey. After
screening, the dataset used in the study included 442 valid
participant responses. The demographics of the sample are
presented in Table 4.
The percentages of men and women were 54.8% and 45.2%,
respectively. As Smart Locker is a relatively high-tech form of
delivery in Vietnam, 76.7% of respondents were under the age of 26
years, whereas the oldest group, 46 years old or above, made up only
0.5%. Over half (62.4%) of the respondents were students, and the
majority (78.9%) of the sample had an income of less than 10
million VND. Young people, including students and office workers,
were assessed to be more receptive to new technological solutions,
such as Smart Locker, and identified as the target customers.
Therefore, Smart Locker hubs tended to be placed in universities,
office buildings, and shopping malls in Vietnam.
Results and discussion
This study applied SEM to evaluate the constructs and test the
hypotheses through two main phases: (i) assessment of the
measurement scale’s properties and (ii) discussion of the
structural model.
Measurement scale analysis. Churchill (1979) recommended
conducting pilot tests of scale items generated from literature
review to refine them using exploratory statistics. Therefore, after
obtaining the conceptual framework from previous studies and
consulting with experts, we conducted EFA analysis to determine
whether the observed variables converged on the original scale of
the study. Subsequently, we drew conclusions regarding whether
the proposed conceptual framework (Fig. 1) was suitable. A
finalised conceptual framework was developed based on the
theories and verified by real data. A Cronbach’s alpha test was
conducted to remove unusable items, which can create virtual
factors, before performing EFA (Churchill, 1979).
EFA was performed with the Principal Axis Factoring method
and Promax rotation for the model of 29 observed variables.
Seven factors were extracted, corresponding to the number of
factors included in the model, and each group of factors
converged with the same observed variables as the original scale.
As shown in Table 5, all observed variables had the absolute value
of the loading factor greater than 0.5, and all latent variables had
Eigenvalue coefficients greater than 1. According to Hair et al.
(2010), this is the optimal level, showing that the observed
variables have good statistical significance. This indicated that the
seven latent variables should be kept in the model.
The overfit, reliability, and validity were evaluated using CFA.
The standardised factor loadings, the composite reliability (CR),
the average variance extracted (AVE), and the Maximum Shared
Variance of the constructs are presented in Table 5. The fit
indices of the measurement model presented at the bottom of
Table 5 met the cut-off criteria specified by Hu and Bentler
(1999), suggesting that the saturated model matched the market
data. The CRs of the constructs were between 0.85 and 0.91,
which were above the acceptable threshold of 0.70 (Hair Jr et al.,
2010). This demonstrated that the internal consistency of the
measurement items was reliable for representing their loaded
constructs. The AVE of each construct was above the cut-off
5
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Table 2 Constructs and measurement items.

ID Manifest variables Sources of reference

Factor 1: Convenience
CVN1 Smart Lockers are located close to users’ residence or daily activities Lin and Hsieh (2011); Collier et al. (2014); Yuen et al. (2019)
CVN2 Locations of Smart Lockers are convenient to pick-up goods
CVN3 Smart Locker allows users to pick-up goods at different times
CVN4 Users can easily interact with Smart Locker to pick-up goods
CVN5 Storage time in locker is enough for users to pick-up goods
Factor 2: Privacy security
PVT1 Smart Locker provides a safe using experience Barua et al. (2018); Lin and Hsieh (2011); Yuen et al. (2019);
PVT2 The user’s personal information is not used for unspecified purposes. Vakulenko et al. (2019)
PVT3 Users’ personal information is protected from the risk of theft
PVT4 Smart Locker’s information security policy is clear, specific, detailed Recommended by experts
Factor 3: Reliability
REL1 Smart Locker provides the service as committed Barua et al. (2018); Demoulin and Djelassi (2016); Yuen et al.
REL2 Smart Locker rarely has technical errors (2019)
REL3 Smart Locker is more reliable than a delivery service made
by humans
REL4 Smart Locker helps to preserve goods well Recommended by experts
Factor 4: Perceived value
VAL1 Users feel pleasant using Smart Lockers Collier et al. (2014); Yuen et al. (2019); Wang et al. (2020);
VAL2 Users feel that using Smart Locker helps to pick-up goods quickly Vakulenko et al. (2019)
VAL3 Users find the pick-up experience with Smart Locker more enjoyable
VAL4 Users feel that using Smart Locker has a positive impact on the
environment and society
Factor 5: Transaction cost
TCT1 Users have to make a significant effort to search for Smart Locker Yuen et al. (2019)
related information
TCT2 Users have to make a significant effort to learn how to use Smart
Lockers
TCT3 Users have to make a significant effort to find a Smart Locker location Proposed by the authors
TCT4 Users have to make a significant effort to physically travel to the Yuen et al. (2019); Vakulenko et al. (2019)
Smart Locker location
Factor 6: Customer satisfaction with Smart Locker
SSL1 Users are satisfied with the experience of using Smart Locker Vakulenko et al. (2019)
SSL2 Users feel Smart Locker exceeds their expectations Recommended by experts
SSL3 Users will continue to use Smart Lockers Vakulenko et al. (2019)
SSL4 Users will encourage others to use Smart Locker
Factor 7: Customer satisfaction with E-commerce
SEC1 Consumers are satisfied with the variety of service options offered Recommended by experts
when shopping online
SEC2 Consumers are satisfied with the online shopping experience Vakulenko et al. (2019)
SEC3 Consumers will reuse online shopping services
SEC4 Consumers will encourage others to use online shopping services

with the model fit indices listed at the bottom demonstrating

Table 3 Sampling criteria for SEM analysis.
the appropriateness of this model. In addition, the R squared of
endogenous variables (i.e., perceived value, transaction cost,
Number of Communalities value in EFA Minimum customer satisfaction with Smart Locker, and customer satis-
factors analysis sample size
faction with e-commerce) were all greater than 0.5, which
From 5 factors From 0.6 and more 100 suggested that their exogenous variables explicated a larger
or less part of the variance in the endogenous variables than the error
From 7 factors From 0.5 and more 150
terms.
or less From 0.45 and more 300
A large number of About 0.4 500
As shown in Table 6, all hypotheses were accepted due to their
factors p-value < 0.05. The positive relationships included (1) conveni-
ence and perceived value (β = 0.441); (2) privacy and security and
Source: Hair et al. (2010). perceived value (β = 0.337) (3) reliability and perceived value
(β = 0.166); (4) perceived value and customer satisfaction with
point of 0.50, and greater than the maximum shared variance Smart Locker (β = 0.565); and (5) customer satisfaction with
(MSV), which ensured the convergent validity and discriminant Smart Locker and customer satisfaction with e-commerce
validity of the measurement. (β = 0.753). The negative effects included (6) convenience and
transaction cost (β = −0.337); (7) privacy and security and
transaction cost (β = −0.149); (8) reliability and transaction cost
Structural model analysis. Figure 2 shows the full structural (β = −0.431); and (9) transaction and customer satisfaction with
model estimation of the research model using AMOS 20.0, Smart Locker (β = −0.326).

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HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01428-6 ARTICLE

Table 4 Sample descriptive statistics. Discussion

Using Smart Locker provides tangible benefits to users in the
form of increased perceived value or reduced transaction costs.
Characteristics Frequency Percentage
Perceived value and transaction costs can be improved by effec-
Gender Male 242 54.8% tive resources matching and through increasing the convenience,
Female 200 45.2% reliability, and security of Smart Lockers, thereby promoting
Age Under 18 years old 5 1.1%
customers’ intention to use this service (Yuen et al., 2019).
From 18 to 25 years old 334 75.6%
From 26 to 35 years old 68 15.4%
However, this study went beyond investigating customers’
From 36 to 45 years old 33 7.5% intentions (Yuen et al., 2019) and satisfaction (Tang et al., 2021)
Above 45 years old 2 0.5% to explore the influence of customer satisfaction with Smart
Education level High school 13 2.9% Locker on that with e-commerce platforms. This is expected to
Undergraduate 276 62.4% consolidate the contribution of last-mile delivery experiences to
Graduate 99 22.4% e-customers overall satisfaction.
Post-graduate 54 12.2% Although the directions of the impact that convenience,
Income Under 5 million VND 234 52.9% reliability, and privacy and security had on perceived value and
From 5 to less than 20 115 41.2% transaction costs completely aligned with the findings of Yuen
million VND et al. (2019), the levels of impact did not. The factor having the
From 20 to less than 30 10 2.3% greatest influence on perceived value was reliability, as concluded
million VND
by Yuen et al. (2019); however, it was convenience in this study.
Above 30 million VND 16 3.6%
This could be attributed to the differences in the research context.

Table 5 Cronbach’s alpha, EFA, and CFA results.

Factors and items EFA CFA

Cronbach’s Alpha Eigenvalue (variance explained) Composite reliability AVE MSV

Factor 1: Convenience 0.89 12.88 (43.25) 0.89 0.59 0.52
CVN1 0.76 –
CVN2 0.90 0.69
CVN3 0.78 0.79
CVN4 0.65 0.75
CVN5 0.73 0.68
CVN6 0.68 0.69
Factor 2: Privacy security 0.90 1.98 (5.80) 0.90 0.70 0.32
PVT1 0.76 0.79
PVT2 0.85 0.83
PVT3 0.85 0.84
PVT4 0.85 0.84
Factor 3: Reliability 0.86 1.63 (4.42) 0.87 0.69 0.43
REL1 0.82 0.85
REL2 0.79 0.75
REL3 0.82 0.86
REL4a - -
Factor 4: Perceived value 0.86 1.53 (4.00) 0.86 0.60 0.52
VAL1 0.77 0.85
VAL2 0.70 0.80
VAL3 0.81 0.77
VAL4 0.72 0.69
Factor 5: Transaction cost 0.85 1.22 (3.11) 0.85 0.58 0.43
TCT1 −0.64 0.71
TCT2 −0.57 0.76
TCT3 −0.86 0.80
TCT4 −0.84 0.69
Factor 6: Customer satisfaction with Smart Locker 0.90 1.08 (2.61) 0.91 0.71 0.51
SSL1 0.75 0.90
SSL2 0.64 0.79
SSL3 0.98 0.86
SSL4 0.84 0.83
Factor 7: Customer satisfaction with E-commerce 0.90 1.06 (2.42) 0.90 0.70 0.51
SEC1 0.62 0.74
SEC2 0.84 0.87
SEC3 0.91 0.89
SEC4 0.77 0.85

CFA Model fit indices: Chi-square/df = 1.884; GFI = 0.907; CFI = 0.963; RMSEA = 0.045.
aIndicates that the observed variable has been removed from the model.

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Fig. 2 Structural equation model. Note: SEM model fit indices: Chi-square/df = 1.933; GFI = 0.905; CFI = 0.960; TLI = 0.956; RMSEA = 0.046.

Table 6 Standardised regression weights. hubs when designing the convenience scale to provide better
insights for providers.
Hypothesis β S.E. C.R. p-value
H1a CVN → VAL 0.441 0.055 7.426 ***
Conclusion
H1b PVT → VAL 0.166 0.037 3.468 ***
H1c REL → VAL 0.337 0.045 6.35 ***
Research implications. The importance of satisfaction has led to
H2a CVN → TCT −0.293 0.062 −4.7 *** a large amount of research on this topic (Mittal and Frennea,
H2b PVT → TCT −0.149 0.044 −2.829 0.005 2010). In particular, the rapid development of e-commerce in
H2c REL → TCT −0.431 0.054 −7.291 *** recent years has encouraged studies on customer satisfaction.
H3 VAL → SSL 0.565 0.061 9.843 *** For instance, Vasić et al. (2019) identified determinants of
H4 TCT → SSL −0.326 0.052 −6.207 *** customer satisfaction, including safety and quality of e-retailer
H5 SSL → SEC 0.753 0.05 15.599 *** websites, completeness of information on the websites, and cost
and time spent on online purchases. Bakator et al. (2019)
***Indicates that p < 0.001.
revealed the correlation between customer satisfaction and
advertising. The present study contributed to current literature
Yuen et al. (2019) collected data from 10 cities in China with the by exploring the impact of a specific last-mile delivery method
highest number of online shopping transactions, where the Smart on online customer satisfaction.
Locker service is well-developed and has wide coverage. The high In addition, this study is one of the first to explore aspects of
level of competition among Smart Locker providers increases the Smart Lockers that affect user satisfaction. Previous studies often
standard of service; therefore, convenience is generally satisfac- focused only on technical factors, impact of using Smart Lockers
tory, and customer interests are turned to reliability. In contrast, on traffic, environment, economy, and customers’ acceptance and
Smart Locker service in Vietnam has not been popular due to the intention to use the service. Only recently, Tang et al. (2021)
limited quantity of available lockers. Furthermore, there are less evaluated customer satisfaction with the experience, examining
opportunities for customers to choose this service due to the the influence of service quality aspects, including service price,
small number of e-commerce businesses adopting it. Conse- diversity, reliability, convenience, and fault handling capability,
quently, convenience is the factor that has the strongest impact on user satisfaction. However, Tang et al. (2021) examined users
on customers’ perceived value. in China, which is a flourished e-commerce market and
Moreover, this study emphasises the convenience of Smart consumers are familiar with Smart Lockers. Conversely, the
Locker locations rather than simply focusing on the technological present study investigated the opposite context, that is, a
and service aspects of Smart Locker, as done by Tang et al. (2021). developing e-commerce market with a low presence of Smart
This can also be attributed to the difference in research context Lockers. Thus, research aspects were adjusted accordingly,
between China and Vietnam. In Vietnam, the number of Smart contributing to a theoretical foundation for examining customer
Lockers is limited; therefore, we paid attention to the location of satisfaction with Smart Locker services.

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HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01428-6
Managerial implications. This study explored a different
approach to customer experience management of e-commerce
businesses. The results indicated that customer satisfaction with
the last-mile delivery service (i.e., Smart Locker) increased the level
of satisfaction with their online shopping experience. This finding
highlighted the important role of last-mile delivery, particularly
Smart Lockers, in customer satisfaction. Thus, we suggest that
e-commerce businesses consider integrating Smart Lockers into
their delivery methods system. The convenience, reliability, and
privacy and security of Smart Lockers enhance customers’ per-
ceived value, thereby increasing the overall satisfaction with the
online shopping experience. Furthermore, the application of Smart
Locker as an automated solution that minimises human involve-
ment can help e-commerce administrators comprehensively and
objectively control, monitor, and evaluate customer experience at
the last stage in the consumers’ online shopping journey.
Moreover, this study provides guidance for Smart Locker service
providers to improve service quality and enhance user satisfaction.
The results revealed three determinants that had a positive impact
on customer satisfaction through the mediators of perceived value
and transaction costs: convenience, reliability, and security. There-
fore, service providers could focus on critical factors and develop
effective measures to improve the service. Furthermore, businesses
should focus on improving and optimising the value of convenience
and reliability, as these factors are highly appreciated by customers
and strongly influence satisfaction. With regard to convenience,
providers could strategically place Smart Locker hubs to save users’
time and effort in accessing the locker (Collier et al., 2014; Lin and
Hsieh, 2011; Roy et al., 2018). As for reliability, businesses should
ensure that data processing systems operate accurately to eliminate
the risk of miscommunication and problems with goods delivery. In
addition, although security does not have as strong of an impact on
user satisfaction, policies and measures to protect user information
require attention to create a positive customer experience.
Limitations and future research. This study had some limitations.
First, the sample size was constrained due to limited time and
financial resources. The authors purposefully selected people who
used Smart Lockers on a voluntary basis to participate in the survey
to discover the impact of using this service on online shopping
behaviour. Although the sample size was adequate to meet the
model requirements, further studies should increase sample size in
more diverse contexts to generate more in-depth knowledge on the
impact of Smart Locker use on online customer satisfaction.
Second, the demographic control variable was not considered
comprehensively in our analysis. During the study period, Hanoi
experienced a COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Consequently,
face-to-face interviews were only possible in green zones with low
infection levels. Further analysis should include this variable in
the structural model to explore its effect on Smart Locker use and
online shopping behaviour.
Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically changing
consumers’ shopping habits globally. The effects of these changes
were not considered in this study. Future research is required on
Smart Lockers and other emerging delivery models and their
impact on consumer behaviour in the new context.
Data availability
Underlying data and syntax are available upon request from the
corresponding author.
Received: 21 June 2022; Accepted: 26 October 2022;
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Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
ARTICLE
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