E-Commerce in China: Culture and Challenges

Abstract

The development of e-commerce in China has been of interest to many throughout both the scholarly and business communities. Certainly, a nation which claims one of the largest populations of Internet users, together with a dominant role in the global economy, would be expected to be a major player in e-commerce. However, because of the impacts of various variables, constraints, as well as the makeup of the population and its Internet users, e-commerce in China has evolved differently, and has unique characteristics compared with e-commerce from other nations and markets. An analysis of the current state of e-commerce in China, followed by an analysis of the factors which impact upon China’s e-commerce, provide insight into its development of electronic business. The role of culture, which is another key factor, is also discussed. From here, a look to future trends and directions is provided.