BBB Tip: How to make your online shopping habits more sustainable

In theory, online shopping is more eco-friendly than shopping in person. When one delivery truck takes the place of multiple car trips, it leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, some common online shopping habits, such as frequent returns and multiple deliveries, could be better for the environment. BBB recommends a few simple changes this Earth Day to make your online shopping habits more sustainable.

Tips for green online shopping

• Bundle your purchases. Get everything you need from an online retailer in one swoop whenever possible. Your overall environmental impact grows with each separate delivery you receive from a retailer. Instead of ordering each time you think of an item you need, try waiting until you have a few items in your cart to checkout and schedule a delivery.
  
  
• Buy in bulk. If you can buy some of your most-used household items in bulk, do it. Buying in bulk means less packaging and fewer overall deliveries.
  
  
• Pick the slower delivery option. By being flexible with your delivery date, you help online retailers maximize delivery efficiency by consolidating orders. Avoid waiting until the last minute to make purchases, so you can accept a slower delivery option that is better for the planet.
  
  
• Take advantage of package pickup locations. Another way to help online retailers build more efficient delivery routes is to collect your package from a public pickup location. This is especially sustainable if the location is close to your home or at a location you are already visiting. Plus, by using pickup locations, you eliminate the risk of failed deliveries resulting in multiple trips to your home.
  
  
• Avoid returns. Frequent returns, and the extra transportation they cause, can easily offset the environmental benefits of online shopping. This is especially true for the garment industry since many returned clothing items end up in landfills or incinerated. Instead of ordering a piece of clothing in a few different sizes and returning the ones that don’t fit, read customer reviews and check sizing charts to maximize your chances of ordering the right size on the first go.
  
  
• Favor eco-friendly online stores. Many online stores pride themselves on being ethically transparent. If you can get what you need from an eco-friendly retailer that strives to offset any negative environmental impact, it might be worth paying a little more to get what you need.
  
  
• Grocery pool with your neighbors. Talk to your neighbors about requesting grocery delivery together. Grocery pooling can cut down on frequent delivery trips to your neighborhood.
  
  

For more information

Get more information from the BBB Tip: How to shop green at the grocery store and the BBB Tip: A shopper’s guide to understanding carbon labels.

Visit Your “Green” HQ, where you can find more BBB tips to help you make more sustainable choices about shopping and living.