Smart Transportation and Logistics Management (STLM) for Sustainable E-commerce: Evidence from a Taiwanese Platform

The rapid expansion of e-commerce has intensified the challenge of balancing operational efficiency with environmental sustainability. This study investigates how Smart Transportation and Logistics Management (STLM) resolves this tension, using a leading Taiwanese pure-play platform as a case study. Integrating Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), the Resource-Based View (RBV), and Creating Shared Value (CSV), the research analyzes a holistic STLM framework comprising node optimization, smart warehousing, green transportation, consumer engagement, and reverse logistics. Findings demonstrate that the platform achieved synergistic benefits across “Time-Cost-Carbon” performance. Key mechanisms include a “de-nodding” strategy that eliminates redundant transport, AI-driven packaging simulation reducing material use by 12%, and a “Green Living” ecosystem that incentivizes consolidated shipping. Empirically, these initiatives resulted in a verified carbon intensity of 1.1 kg CO2e per parcel and an annual reduction of over 4,651 metric tons of CO2e. The study concludes that STLM serves as a source of sustainable competitive advantage by orchestrating upstream structural changes, internal digital capabilities, and downstream behavioral nudging. It offers policymakers and practitioners a blueprint for decoupling e-commerce growth from carbon emissions.