Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that e-commerce has opened up a window of opportunities for the national economy of Bangladesh with minimum capital investment by digitalizing the information. Thereby, it is important to unravel the ontology of e-commerce for deepening the understanding of this digital revolution. To serve this purpose the study has conducted a small-scale survey on 29 females and 21 males, ranging in age from 16 to more than 55, who are all online shoppers both in the form of buyers and sellers. To supplement data to the survey, 10 in-depth interviews, five sellers and five buyers, are also taken. The study finds that e-commerce is gradually getting popular among the growing young generation of 24-34 age groups. Almost 100% of female shoppers prefer clothing, personal products to buy while male shoppers prefer electronic goods more. E-commerce creates a substitute marketing channel by terminating the manipulative role of middleman. Moreover, it serves as an empowering tool for women entrepreneurs. On the contrary, a few shoppers perceive e-commerce negatively for de-socializing people and creating false needs among young generation. In addition, a lot of virtual risks are explored associated with online business. Despite having these risks, e-commerce has made people’s life easier and thereby people should welcome the positive sides to underwrite the gradual development of e-commerce for keeping pace with this fast-moving world.
Highlights
Electronic commerce, known as e-commerce, is gradually growing popular in an emerging global economy (Khan 2015; Nair 2017)
Objectives of the study Drawing on the above-mentioned background, this paper aims to unravel the ontology of e-commerce in the context of Dhaka city, Bangladesh
Drawing on the findings it is clear that e-commerce is gradually getting popular as a sustainable livelihood option among the growing young generation which is evident in other studies too (Ishtiaque et al 2017; Dillon & Reif 2004)
Summary
Electronic commerce, known as e-commerce, is gradually growing popular in an emerging global economy (Khan 2015; Nair 2017). It is an electronic process by which people involve in transactions in multifarious ways such as buying, selling, transferring, or exchanging products, services and/or information (Turban et al 2006). E-commerce has turned out as a new business reality which has got much popularity among all demographic categories of people. This new trend has enormously increased due to its quick and easy way of exchanging goods and services (Vadwala 2017). Transactions in e-commerce is paperless and occurs through electronic data exchange, emails, and electronic fund transfers (Nair 2017; Islam 2018). Customers have the advantage of doing transactions at their convenient time as services are on twenty-four hours a day all over the world (Vadwala 2017)
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