Drivers of consumers’ adoption of parcel lockers as an alternative last-mile delivery solution in emerging economies

• Investigates consumer adoption of parcel lockers in an emerging economy. • Extends the Technology Acceptance Model to include location-related factors. • Consumers prioritize convenience, particularly ease of use and delivery speed. • Consumers do not clearly associate parcel locker adoption with environmental benefits. The sustained growth of online sales has increased pressure on urban logistics systems, especially last-mile operations. The freight traffic generated by parcel deliveries creates negative social, environmental, and economic externalities. To mitigate these negative effects, parcel lockers are considered a promising solution to optimize routes, decrease operational costs, and avoid failed deliveries. This paper assesses consumers’ intention to adopt lockers as an alternative for last-mile delivery in an emerging economy. Survey data were collected in the Medellin Metropolitan Area of Colombia. A Structural Equation Model is estimated to determine the consumers’ intention to adopt parcel lockers. The results indicate that parcel lockers are generally perceived as easy to use, and consumers expect their delivery speed to be comparable to traditional methods. Additionally, consumers who identify as innovative and environmentally conscious are more likely to choose parcel locker deliveries, with environmental awareness often driving their innovative behavior. However, the findings also revealed that although most respondents consider themselves environmentally conscious, they do not strongly associate the system adoption with clear environmental benefits. This suggests a gap in awareness or understanding of the sustainability advantages of parcel lockers, emphasizing the need for better education and communication on their environmental impact.