Impact of e-commerce on external transport costs

The problem presented in this paper concerns the impact of e-commerce on transport costs, including external transport costs, compared with traditional shopping. E-commerce is a phenomenon of the modern economy that can significantly impact both the efficiency of the distribution of goods and on external transport costs. Although such a distribution system can increase the costs of freight transport to final consumers, it can also reduce traffic in cities and thus total external transport costs. In order to asses this impact, the author developed a simulation model and used it to conduct analyses. The analyses were based on available statistical data, data from the literature, and from the transportation market in Poland.