Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of IT-based contactless services and online platforms, driven by consumer demand for convenience.Governments have supported this digital transformation, but older small business owners often struggle with adopting digital technologies, slowing progress. This study investigates whether age affects the effectiveness of delivery services, a key aspect of digital transformation, and examines the impact of government delivery support policies on service utilization.Research design, data, and methodology: Using survey data from traditional markets and shopping districts, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to explore age’s moderating effect on the relationship between delivery service adoption and sales. Logistic regression analysis further examined how shared delivery services in traditional markets influence the relationship between age and delivery service usage.Results: As age increased, a negative relationship with sales performance was observed. However, for older business owners, delivery services helped mitigate the negative relationship between age and sales. Additionally, places that adopted shared delivery services had a more positive impact on the use of delivery services by older business owners compared to those that did not implement such services.Implications: This study examined the effectiveness of government digital transformation policies, particularly shared delivery services, in supporting older small business owners. Based on the findings, the study provides actionable policy recommendations to alleviate the digital adoption barriers faced by older generations and promote their transition.
Kim et al. (Tue,) studied this question.