Purpose The primary purpose of this research is to fill the gap in understanding crowdshipping by conducting a bibliometric analysis of crowdshipping, mapping its evolution and thematic focus within business research since the concept’s emergence. In doing so, we aim to guide the next generation of research and practice. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, we performed a structured Scopus search which returned 300 records across 16 subject areas. After filtering documents that we classified as belonging to the Business, Management, and Accounting fields, we used publication trend analysis, citation, and keyword co-occurrence mapping. We then reviewed all documents to understand the contributions they made to the field and to identify the gaps that future research should address. Findings Our literature analysis showed that scholarly output began in 2017, surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and remained concentrated in North America and Western Europe. It reveals the main research streams, including business models, operational optimization, market behavior, sustainability assessments, and technology support. It also identifies issues remaining to be addressed, such as inconsistent terminology use, regional research gaps, and methodological limitations. Among the practical outcomes of this work is its literature-driven last-mile delivery (LMD) strategy canvas. Originality/value This is one of the first literature reviews focused exclusively on crowdshipping in business research, offering a comprehensive and structured direction for future research in the business field. It also offered an LMD strategy canvas for industry.
Shahryar Sorooshian (2026) studied this question.