Another study contends that shopping online has a greater impact on the environment, when considering the following factors:
Many people do not drive alone, but go shopping with others, hence total purchases average more than four items per trip, thereby reducing miles driven per item.
Shoppers often engage in other activities while at the mall, so miles traveled can’t be assigned only to shopping.
A lot more goods purchased online get returned, which requires repackaging and shipping (33 percent compared with just 7 percent from stores).
Online products often require a whole lot more packaging. You can also simply bike or walk to the store, or drive a very efficient car, any of which beats online shopping in terms of environmental impact.