The Rising Trends of Smart E-Commerce Logistics

Smart Logistics (SL) offers a competitive advantage for e-commerce by utilizing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) such as IoT, AI, Blockchain, Cloud computing, 5G, etc. This technology automates, optimizes, and enables real-time tracking and monitoring of shipments, predicts, and prevents delays, and optimizes delivery routes and schedules. It also provides greater visibility and control, allowing e-commerce businesses to react quickly and efficiently to changes in demand or supply. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of digitalization on trade logistics in e-commerce, emphasizing the significance of smart logistics for the e-commerce industry. We reviewed 288 articles published in the last decade in the Scopus database to assess the maturity of research in this area. For researchers, this study provides a better understanding of smart e-commerce logistics and identifies research gaps in the literature. For e-commerce professionals, it can help them adopt the latest technological trends in their logistics. Through a systematic literature review and network analysis approach, the study has contributed by identifying 5 clusters related to ICT application fields in e-commerce and 5 clusters related to important ICT enablers in smart logistics. We also identified several research gaps and areas for future study, including the underutilization of computer vision technology and the need for further research on product quality inspection and accessibility for people with disabilities. Additionally, we suggest exploring the power of deep learning to solve Vehicle Routing Problems (VRP) and optimizing sensing data volume for minimizing costs associated with data storage and transfer. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in smart logistics for e-commerce and serves as a guide for future research in this field.