Does buying intangible services online increase the frequency of trips to consume these services

Abstract Numerous studies have investigated the travel effects of online purchases. However, compared to tangible goods (e.g., books, electronics, and clothes), very limited attention has been paid to online purchases of intangible services (e.g., hairdressing, dining out, and visits to movie theatres, zoos, and local theme parks). Utilizing data obtained from 733 structured interviews in Beijing, China, this paper aims to examine the influence of buying intangible services online on trip frequency. The results indicate that – because of buying intangible services online – 52% of respondents indicated an increase in travel frequency to use these services, while only 7% indicated a decrease in the frequency. More importantly, those who indicate an increase in travel frequency are inclined to travel longer distances to use these services. Therefore, purchasing intangible services online may impose additional pressure on transportation systems. Applying a multinomial logistic regression method, we additionally reveal the influential factors of changes in travel frequency. The results show that – due to buying intangible services online – people with lower accessibility to shopping centers and bus stops are less likely to increase and even more likely to decrease the frequency of travel to use these services.