Last-Mile Delivery Failures Drive Online Shopping Dissatisfaction in Indonesia During Peak Demand

Gloria Florensia Br Surbakti Kamis, Agustus 13, 2026
Ilustrasi by AI

FORMOSA NEWS

Indonesian e-commerce customers experience severe logistics disruptions during peak shopping periods, according to new research conducted by Sulwani Husna Afrizal, Desty Hapsari Kirana, and Irsyad Kamal from Universitas Padjadjaran. Published in 2026, the study reveals that last-mile delivery failures are the primary driver of negative customer feedback for major mobile commerce platforms in Indonesia, with complaints surging dramatically during the Ramadan holiday season. The research highlights critical operational vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia's largest digital economy.

Background and Context

Indonesia represents the largest and fastest-growing e-commerce market in Southeast Asia. Driven by widespread smartphone adoption, digital payment infrastructure, and expanding online marketplaces, the nation's digital economy relies heavily on robust logistics networks. However, Indonesia's unique archipelagic geography, urban density, and reliance on motorcycle couriers present complex challenges for last-mile delivery—the final and most visible stage of product fulfillment. Understanding how delivery failures affect consumer behavior is vital for logistics companies, digital platforms, and policy planners working to strengthen national digital infrastructure.

Research Methodology

The researchers utilized a qualitative-descriptive methodology centered on sentiment analysis of user-generated content. The team analyzed a total of 67,600 Google Play Store reviews for the Shopee Indonesia application posted between January 24 and April 13, 2026.

To conduct the analysis, the authors performed keyword extraction in both formal and informal Indonesian to isolate logistics-related feedback:

  • Initial Filtering: Extracted 12,797 reviews specifically discussing delivery services.
  • Negative Sentiment Focus: Isolated 6,981 negative reviews (rated 1 or 2 stars) as the primary dataset.
  • Categorization: Categorized negative reviews into nine specific sub-themes of logistics service failure based on established Logistics Service Quality frameworks.
  • Temporal Tracking: Monitored monthly complaint volume and negativity rates to assess the impact of peak demand during the Ramadan shopping season.

Key Findings

The study uncovered significant operational bottlenecks that disproportionately drive negative customer reviews:

  • Disproportionate Negativity: While 66.6% of overall app reviews were positive (5 stars), delivery-specific reviews carried a 54.6% negativity rate, compared to a platform-wide negativity rate of just 25.2%.
  • Primary Failure Modes:
    • Delivery Delays: Accounted for 41.6% of negative delivery reviews ($2,903$ cases).
    • Courier Misconduct: Represented 32.7% of negative reviews ($2,282$ cases), featuring issues such as couriers falsely marking orders as "failed delivery" without visiting addresses.
    • In-House Logistics Disruptions: SPX Express infrastructure issues accounted for 18.0% of complaints ($1,255$ cases).
    • Inaccurate Estimates: False or delayed estimated time of arrival (ETA) predictions appeared in 11.5% of negative reviews.

  • The Ramadan Surge Effect: Negative delivery complaints increased sixfold between January and March 2026. The proportion of negative delivery feedback rose from 42.7% in January to 58.3% during the peak Ramadan shopping period in March, remaining high at 54.8% post-holiday.

Implications and Real-World Impact

The findings demonstrate that delivery failures compound structurally, severely undermining platform reputation. Misconduct or infrastructure delays trigger inaccurate estimated delivery times, which heightens customer frustration before recovery efforts can occur.

For the digital commerce industry, relying exclusively on single, platform-owned logistics providers increases operational risk during high-volume periods. The researchers emphasize that platforms must diversify carrier partnerships, upgrade courier tracking using GPS validation, and integrate real-time capacity data into estimated arrival algorithms to preserve consumer trust.

Expert Insight

According to lead researcher Sulwani Husna Afrizal and the research team at Universitas Padjadjaran:

"Customers hold the e-commerce platform fully accountable for the entire delivery experience, regardless of whether a failure originates with an independent courier or a third-party logistics provider. When platforms limit carrier choices during seasonal demand spikes like Ramadan, operational delays directly damage platform credibility and customer retention."

Author Profile

Sulwani Husna Afrizal is an academic researcher affiliated with Universitas Padjadjaran, specializing in logistics service quality, digital business models, and consumer sentiment analysis within mobile e-commerce platforms.

Source Information

Gloria Florensia Br Surbakti

Diposting oleh Gloria Florensia Br Surbakti

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