Insights into shopping travel behavior: latent classes in relation to attitudes towards shopping

Background The car has so far played an important role for transporting goods. However, new services emerging from e-commerce may increasingly reduce its relevance as the transporting of goods might no longer be a reason for car use. As a result, e-commerce or the delivery of goods by third-parties can function as potential supplement for car-free households and support a car-free lifestyle. To assess this potential, appropriate segmentation to subgroups is needed to better understand differences in shopping behavior and the linked role of the car. Methods The presented study from Munich (Germany) provides a comprehensive approach by applying a latent class analysis. The classification revealed six distinct classes with differences in shopping behavior as well as sociodemographic and spatial characteristics. To asses underlying motivations, this approach is complemented through relating the latent classes to attitudes towards shopping and mode choice. Findings Results show that those people who frequently use their cars also have an affinity for frequent online shopping. This relationship should be considered when discussing whether e-commerce can promote a car-free lifestyle.