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by alanbernstein 25 days ago
Right, 100 trucks delivering 100 single items to 100 homes, or 100 consumers each making 1 trip to buy 100 things. It really depends on the details too much to simplify it so far.
2 comments

It is more like 1 truck delivering 100 single items to 100 homes.
With there typically being a free shipping minimum (or a relatively fixed shipping cost for daily goods), it seems like the benefits of the 1 truck model are likely even greater as customers are explicitly encouraged to group purchases together.
Well, maybe more than one truck.

One truck per delivery service

Multiple times a week.
For the aforementioned 100 homes, if the 100-items-in-1-truck are needed multiple times per week, then the 100-items-in-100-cars are likely also needed multiple times per week, so the extra CO2 etc would be even worse.
No, not if you're matching the volume of items between the two scenarios.
Just anecdotally, I think the typical Costco trip is alongside trips someone would have taken already.

Go to work, take a 5 minute detour to stop by Costco for your prescriptions, gas, and groceries on the way back

As a non-American, all of these threads are utterly fascinating.