User preference for electronic commerce overpackaging solutions: Implications for cleaner production

Abstract The volume of express delivery has increased dramatically with the rapid development of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in China. This increase exacerbates overpackaging and challenges the sustainable development of our society. To solve the issue of overpackaging in e-commerce from the perspective of consumers, this study systematically summarizes the overpackaging solutions from the previous literature and obtains a list of 13 solutions. Then, we rank the user preference for these solutions by conducting a best–worst scaling experiment and analyze the data with the mixed logit model. The research demonstrates that the top three most accepted solutions are the optimization of the packaging strategy, the construction of a recycling system, and large-scale packaging. Results show that consumers have a pronounced preference for technologically improved solutions but a less evident preference for material improvements. This study identifies the overpackaging solutions that consumers prefer. In addition, it provides feasible recommendations for governments and enterprises in reducing packaging waste and promoting cleaner production.