Type of the article: Research Article
Abstract
The rapid growth of online shopping, coupled with the increasing demand for flexible parcel collection, has promoted parcel locker services (PLKS) as an effective last-mile logistics solution. This study examines the extended role of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) within an integrated TAM-TPB framework in explaining consumers’ intention to use PLKS. A questionnaire survey was conducted primarily in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, between November and December 2025. The analysis was based on 362 valid responses from online shoppers who had not previously used PLKS. PLS-SEM was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that eWOM has a positive and statistically significant association with the core components of TPB, particularly attitude (β = 0.569; p = 0.000) and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.582; p = 0.000). Attitude was identified as the strongest predictor of intention to use parcel locker services (β = 0.491; p = 0.000). Furthermore, eWOM was positively associated with intention to use both directly and indirectly through the statistically significant mediating roles of attitude (β = 0.28; p = 0.000) and Perceived Behavioral Control (β = 0.083; p = 0.000). However, the results do not support the mediating role of subjective norms in the relationship between eWOM and intention to use (β = 0.024; p = 0.073). The findings offer managerial implications for locker service providers, highlighting the importance of investing in digital communication strategies, fostering positive customer reviews and feedback, and ensuring transparent and accessible service information to strengthen consumers’ adoption intentions.
Acknowledgments
The authors received no financial support or external funding for conducting this research or preparing the manuscript. All analyses and interpretations were carried out independently by the authors.