From Convenience to Trust: Determinants of Consumer Adoption of Drone Delivery Services in India

Abstract

 As a fast-paced tech-powered service for getting products delivered directly to homes, drone delivery has been gaining popularity as an alternative option to traditional delivery services for the final stretch of the supply chain. Apart from saving time and providing a great user experience the technology can also help the environment through lower emissions and reduce carbon footprint of traditional delivery services. Rapid delivery is another factor of last-minute logistics that can be quite a bit improved by drone delivery. This makes it a promising and attractive option for customers who are looking for their goods and services right at home or nearby quickly. Still, despite the benefits, the use of such technology by consumers is limited. The present review is an exploration of the factors that influence the consumer adoption of drone delivery which in particular, focuses transition stage from convenience to consumer trust and considers the Indian perspective of a broader international picture. The study of literature has revealed that perceived usefulness, ease of use, delivery speed, service performance safety privacy, perceived risk, environmental value, social influence and consumer innovativeness, are the key variables that determine the acceptance of delivery by drone. Indian case presents us an example with its importance: family safety and security proved to be the highest predictor of adoption intention and even outmatched delivery speed and green image. Besides, different research evidence reveals that consumers' opinions are also not uniform and change based on whether one is from the city or the countryside and what one's culture is. Given this, the review suggests an integrative model that combines the influence perceived convenience has in generating curiosity, the role risk assessment plays in the formation of hesitation and trust as the mechanism that triggers the adoption decision and continued usage. The main finding is that the success of drone delivery in India will not depend on technology and infrastructure alone. In addition, it will have to rely on transparent company practices, high safety standards, privacy protection measures, consumer education initiatives and supportive government regulations.