Modeling Demand for Freight Forwarding Services on the Grounds of Logistics Portals Data

Abstract Modeling of demand for forwarding services is a particularly complex problem due to a versatility of stochastic factors forming demand and the limited access to data on demand parameters. The author proposes an approach to estimate parameters of demand for forwarding services on the grounds of data obtained on Internet logistics portals. Based on the estimated parameters, a model of demand for forwarding services and its software implementation were developed. Demand simulations carried out using developed software allow to conclude high convergence of demand parameters derived from the model and relevant empirical values of these parameters.