Development Of E-commerce Research Articles

Assessing the environmental and economic impacts of intracity express delivery: Pathways for carbon reduction and cost efficiency in China

With the rapid development of e-commerce, the environmental impacts and economic costs of intracity express delivery, along with reduction pathways, however, remain largely unexplored. Therefore, we compiled carbon emission inventories of express delivery at the intracity scale covering the entire process from warehouse to consumers. Additionally, five pathways were designed and compared to explore the feasible measures for coordinated carbon reduction and cost-effective efficiency improvements, incorporating new technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving. The results show that carbon emissions from intracity express delivery in China surged from 97 kt in 2013 to 1143 kt in 2021. A series of measures could reduce carbon emissions by 64.86 % (741.287 kt) through the electrification of gasoline vehicles, although the vehicle cost of electric vehicles would triple. If unmanned electric vehicles are used for the last mile of express delivery, the economic costs could decrease significantly by 77.77 % (US$36.693 billion), reducing the cost per express from US$0.436 down to US$0.097. Our study could provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable development and costs reduction of China's express delivery industry.

An Analysis of the Development of Cross-border E-commerce in China Based on the Background of Economic Globalization -- A Case Study of Alibaba International Website

In the era of the digital economy, international trade develops rapidly, and cross-border e-commerce occupies an important position in global trade. To comply with the trend of economic globalization, China's cross-border e-commerce field needs to clarify its advantages and shortcomings, make timely adjustments and improvements, and achieve sustainable development. This paper analyzes the international economic background and the development status of cross-border e-commerce. Taking Alibaba International Site, a representative cross-border e-commerce platform, as a specific case, SWOT analysis is applied to analyze its development status, and it is found that the cultural differences, policy differences, and trade protection problems it faces reflect the existing deficiencies in China's cross-border e-commerce field. And put forward optimization suggestions for China's cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Still, the suggestions in this paper have certain limitations, for the specific situation of small and medium-sized cross-border e-commerce enterprises need to be considered in combination with the actual problem.

The theoretical concept of economic development at the present stage is the process of smartization and digitalization

The principal trends in economic development at the advent of the 21st century evince substantial alterations occurring as a consequence of the advent of cutting-edge technologies, globalization, and social transformation. These developments contribute to the efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness of economies, while simultaneously creating new opportunities and challenges for business and society. The principal trends in economic development at this juncture are the processes of «smartization» and «digitalization,» which have become indispensable prerequisites for economic advancement across all sectors of production and social activity. The digital transformation entails the integration of digital technologies into all facets of business and social activities. This includes the automation of business processes, the development of e-commerce, and the use of big data. At the same time, the smartization of cities and economies involves the use of intelligent systems to improve the efficiency of urban management, energy, transportation, and other sectors. The development of information technologies and the growth of artificial intelligence create conditions for economic transformation, and the integration of digital technologies into all spheres of life and economy can lead to changes similar to those that occurred as a result of the Industrial Revolution. In the long run, the smart economy may change not only the ways of production and consumption, but also social structures and the interaction between humans and machines. However, this raises the need for society to adapt to the rapidly changing technological reality and the importance of developing the skills that will be needed in the future digital world.The article identifies the features of digitalization and smartization as socio-economic phenomena that characterize the current stage of development of the global economy. The article analyzes the conceptual differences between digitalization and smartization as basic concepts of economic development and the current stage of its development and identifies the key characteristics of their implementation.

E-commerce and air pollution: Evidence from China

E-commerce serves as an important link between the digital economy and the real economy, and contributes positively to income growth. In the face of resource constraints and serious environmental pollution, it is equally relevant to examine the environmental effects of e-commerce. Based on county panel data for China from 2011 to 2018, this study uses a difference in differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of Rural E-Commerce Demonstration County (REDC) policy on air pollution. This study reveals that the demonstration policy exacerbates air pollution in counties and the pollution effect is regionally heterogeneous. Additionally, the increase in temperature and precipitation weakens the pollution effects of the demonstration policy. Mechanism analysis indicates that the demonstration policy can promote the development of the secondary industry and digital financial inclusion at the county level, which subsequently leads to the deterioration of local air quality. Further analysis of costs and benefits reveals that the significant positive economic effects resulting from the demonstration policy far outweigh the indirect economic losses caused by air pollution. Therefore, when local governments actively promote the development of e-commerce in rural areas, they should also attach great importance to its potential negative environmental externalities.

The impact of information and communication technologies on international trade: A case of Sub-Saharan Africa

The aim of this research is to analyze the effect of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the bilateral trade flows of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We use the method of generalized least squares (GLS) panel to correct for correlation and heteroskedasticity problems. We have employed the gravity model extended to ICT to examine the effects of key ICT indicators on bilateral exports and imports. The sample includes 44 African countries of the subcontinent, including 43 countries as partners (importers/exporters) and one reporter country (exporter/importer) and covers the period 2010 to 2019. The results show that access to mobile telephony and the internet, as well as the development of e-commerce, have a great potential for improving intra-African bilateral trade and that the effect of ICT is not unequivocal according to the category of flow considered. However, it emerges from these results that the development of ICT as it is today has not yet succeeded in overturning the argument of physical distance as a barrier to trade in sub-Saharan Africa. The key conclusion is that the establishment of better-quality ICT services and infrastructure is more critical to intra-African trade. African policymakers should accommodate sufficient support to establish the ICT infrastructure and expand ICT penetration by reducing the costs of communication, transactions and access to ICT.

Systematic Exploration of the Green Transformation Path of Liaoning's Industrial Structure Driven by Cross-Border E-Commerce

Driven by globalization and digitalization, cross-border e-commerce has become an important force to promote the optimization and upgrading of economic structure. Taking Liaoning as an example, this paper explores how to promote the transformation of industrial structure to a green and sustainable direction through the development of cross-border e-commerce. This paper analyzes the current situation of Liaoning's industrial structure, points out the existing problems and challenges, and puts forward a green transformation strategy based on cross-border e-commerce.

Research on Rural e-commerce Development under the Background of Rural Revitalization — Take Daji Town of Cao County as an Example

Rural revitalization has always been an important proposition of The Times. In the context of rural revitalization, the traditional sales methods have also taken a new turn, and the shopping form of "Internet + sales" is gradually accepted by the public. Rural society has also been exposed to the Internet, and has quietly changed the new sales mode. Some rural areas have combined local resources with the Internet, expanded product sales channels, and increased economic income through e-commerce. Thanks to the development of e-commerce, many poor villages have gradually been lifted out of poverty and embarked on the road of prosperity. Now it has become a wealthy Taobao town. Daji Town, Caoxian County, Heze City, Shandong Province, is such a typical village for Internet sales. Through the analysis of rural e-commerce in Daji town, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions for the existing problems of rural e-commerce in Daji town.

Can cross-border e-commerce development improve supply chain efficiency? Empirical evidence from China

ABSTRACT Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) is becoming critical for a strong supply chain. Using data from Chinese listed firms and a difference-in-difference (DID) model, this paper examines the impact of CBEC development on supply chain efficiency from the perspective of enterprise inventory. CBEC significantly reduces enterprises’ non-finished goods inventory and improves supply chain efficiency. The mechanism tests reveal three ways in which CBEC optimizes enterprises’ inventory and enhances supply chain efficiency: improving the performance of upstream-facing sourcing, increasing the efficiency of enterprises’ product transformation, and optimizing downstream-facing demand coordination. The heterogeneous results suggest that CBEC has a greater impact on the supply chain efficiency of firms with high operational volatility and capital intensity and low digitization levels. Further, the effect of CBEC on the reduction of non-finished goods inventory is more significant in regions with weak infrastructure development and location endowment. This study provides empirical evidence for the emerging development topic of new international trade patterns empowering industrial supply chains.

Analyzing the Alibaba-Suning Partnership: Strategies and Outcomes

This paper deeply discusses the strategic cooperation between Alibaba and Suning Yunshang, and analyzes its strategic significance and cooperation results in the context of new retail. By sharing resources and complementing each other’s strengths, the two sides have built a new retail ecosystem integrating online and offline, and realized the all-round interoperability of goods, services, technologies and data. This cooperation has not only promoted the rapid growth of the two sides’ business, but also promoted the deep integration of the retail industry and the Internet industry, providing a strong reference for the future development of e-commerce and retail industry in China and even the world. The strategic partnership between Alibaba and Suning Yunshang represents a significant milestone in the evolution of new retail, where online and offline channels converge to create a seamless consumer experience. By leveraging each other’s strengths—Alibaba’s robust e-commerce platform and Suning’s extensive offline retail network—the two companies have fostered a new retail ecosystem that integrates goods, services, technologies, and data across both platforms.

Collaborative Development of Cross-border E-commerce and Agricultural Product Supply Chain: Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions

Abstract: The development of science and technology and the deepening of globalisation have opened up new directions for developing the agricultural industry. With the gradual expansion of the scope of Internet +, traditional trade has gradually evolved into e-commerce, and relatively simple domestic trade has gradually expanded into cross-border transactions. With the help of e-commerce platforms, sales channels can be expanded, and the share of agricultural exports can be increased. The development of cross-border e-commerce is highly valued and mutually supportive of the agricultural product supply chain (APSC), which promotes the international trade of agricultural products. Optimised APSC provide high-quality produce to meet consumer demand. Technological innovations such as big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) bring smart and efficient optimisation solutions to APSC, improving the efficiency of product distribution. This paper reviews the research on cross-border e-commerce and APSC by some scholars in recent years, summarises the current development of cross-border e-commerce, describes the problems of APSC, and proposes solutions. Reviewing and summarising the relevant research literature aims to help scholars understand the development of cross-border e-commerce and APSC more systematically and comprehensively, and to provide strong support for future research and practice.

Research on the Development Status and Countermeasures of Rural E-commerce in China

Abstract: With the rapid development of the internet, the rural e-commerce in China has also evolved prominently. And it becomes increasingly widespread as well. Concurrently, various issues have surfaced in rural areas, which hinder further development of rural e-commerce in China. Recognizing this complexity, the dissertation delves into the current landscape of rural e-commerce, exploring both its inherent strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats it currently faces. The dissertation aims to clarify the fundamental development ideas and direction for the rural e-commerce in China, not just in theory but also in practical application. To illustrate this, it utilizes the example of Pinduoduo, a prominent e-commerce platform, to analyze how such platforms can effectively contribute to the advancement of rural e-commerce. Finally, the dissertation offers a set of forward-looking suggestions for the future of rural e-commerce, such as intensifying policy promotion, cultivating professional talents, and strengthening network infrastructure.

Multi-Channel Supply Chains Considering Live Streaming Sales and Spillover Effects

Abstract: With the rapid development of e-commerce, an increasing number of companies, such as Huawei, Apple, and Adidas, are no longer confined to offline physical stores for product sales. They leverage third-party e-commerce platforms or establish online stores on their official websites. Modern consumers have access to various purchasing channels, including e-commerce platforms, offline stores, and manufacturer direct sales. In recent years, a new e-commerce model, live streaming sales, has emerged. In live streaming sales, professional salespersons or key opinion leaders (KOLs) showcase product performance, aiming to sell products online. Unlike traditional online channels, live streaming sales alleviate new consumers' uncertainty about product information through real-time interaction or comments from KOLs. Live streaming has been adopted by e-commerce giants worldwide, such as Taobao, JD.com, and Amazon, due to its significant sales revenue potential. Additionally, channels with KOLs may generate negative or positive spillover effects on other channels. These effects are crucial parameters for exploring the impact of seller profits in the multi-channel supply chain under live streaming conditions. Both domestic and international research have focused on live streaming sales, multi-channel sales, and spillover effects, with many studies yielding significant economic and social benefits. However, challenges faced by multi-channel supply chains, including complex channel management, difficulty in information synchronization, brand consistency issues, and increased costs, need to be addressed. To overcome these challenges, recommendations include integrating channel resources, optimizing channel experience, establishing cross-channel data analysis systems, strengthening supply chain coordination, continuous innovation and improvement, and strengthening brand building.

Consumer Psychology in the Digital Age: How Online Environments Shape Purchasing Habits

The advent of the digital age has profoundly changed consumers’ mindsets and habits. The rapid development of e-commerce and the widespread use of mobile applications have created enormous demand for individual recommendation systems based on mass data. This system not only increases the convenience of purchases and conversions but also alters the purchasing behavior of consumers, leading them to make choices subconsciously. Potential risks associated with large-scale data sharing and usage have heightened consumer concerns regarding privacy, thereby weakening the foundational trust in platforms and deterring them from shopping. Additionally, the rapid growth of e-commerce in the digital age, coupled with changing market circumstances, has intensified psychological pressure on consumers, making their decision-making processes more complex and difficult. Furthermore, the program will explore issues related to improving customer experience, developing individual marketing strategies, and designing customer loyalty plans. It will also address questions of privacy in a digital environment, the dilemmas of excessive or disruptive consumption behavior, and the complexity and diversity of consumer behavior in the face of digital change. The objective of this study is to develop a fear study that will enable a better understanding of the impact of online shopping on consumer behavior and provide a strategic guide for retailers to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age.

Behavior-based pricing and wholesale contracting in competing supply chains with informative advertising

The development of e-commerce has enhanced the ability of firms to identify existing and potential customers and set targeted prices accordingly, which is known as behavior-based pricing (BBP). This study investigates the effect of manufacturers’ informative advertising on the strategic interaction between wholesale price contracts (long-term or short-term) and downstream pricing mechanisms (BBP or not). We consider two horizontal differentiated supply chains in which firms not only compete in prices but also in informative advertising which is used to generate awareness of products. We find that the impact of BBP on channel members’ advertising, pricing and profits is the tradeoff of multiple effects. With BBP, manufacturers will advertise less and both retailers and manufacturers prefer short-term wholesale contracts. Moreover, BBP eases the price competition in the first period but intensifies it in the second period, especially for short-term wholesale contracts. In equilibrium, BBP is adopted by retailers only when the advertising cost is low, and manufacturers choose short-term wholesale contracts. Furthermore, BBP always hurts the consumer surplus and social welfare which means that targeted measures are needed to regulate firms’ price discrimination.

Research on the Development of Agricultural Products Industrial Chain under the Trend of Live E-Commerce

Based on the background of the rise of live e-commerce after COVID-19, this paper reviews the literature on the internal and external factors of the development of live e-commerce, aiming to study the changes in the industrial chain of agricultural product sales under the trend of live e-commerce. Based on the current status of the industry, the potential problems are found. It is found that the main problems of live broadcast e-commerce still exist in the selection of products. At the same time, the professional quality and logistics of the anchor are also worthy of the attention of enterprises. The study found that live broadcast e-commerce has a strong momentum of development in the future. Due to the changes in the industrial chain brought by live broadcast e-commerce, the realization of the scale effect of the origin can become a strong driving factor for the live broadcast e-commerce of agricultural products. Enterprises ' independent contracting of planting or cooperative operation with farmers are all useful measures for sustainable development in the future.

A Study on Revenue Distribution of Chinese Agricultural E-Commerce Supply Chain Based on the Modified Shapley Value Method

With the rapid development of e-commerce in China, “live broadcast + e-commerce” has become an emerging mode of the e-commerce industry. The speedy growth of the digital economy has also provided a favorable external environment for fresh agricultural products to ride on the e-commerce express train. As a result, more and more suppliers of fresh agricultural products choose to sell their products on e-commerce platforms and conduct live streaming. This paper utilizes the e-commerce supply chain field survey data, takes tomato as the specific analyzed variety, and studies the revenue distribution pattern of each subject in the supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to explore the optimization strategy of the revenue distribution of an agricultural e-commerce supply chain, and the results show that the agricultural e-commerce supply chain effectively promotes the matching of supply and demand of medium- and high-end agricultural products, realizes the quality premium of medium- and high-end agricultural products, and significantly improves the overall revenue level of the supply chain. The field survey found that under the supply chain model of “farmers + cooperatives + e-commerce platform”, farmers, cooperatives, and e-commerce platforms gained $2865, $3098, and $1111, respectively, for operating one mu of tomatoes in a year. According to the traditional Shapley value method, from the point of view of the contribution to the cooperative income, part of the income of the farmers and cooperatives should be compensated to the e-commerce platform, and the specific results are as follows: the income of the farmers should be reduced from $2865 to $2729, the income of the cooperatives should be reduced from $3099 to $2955, and the income of the e-commerce platform should be increased from $1111 to $1390. According to the Shapley value method based on the risk coefficient correction, from the perspective of risk compensation, part of the earnings of the e-commerce platform should be compensated to farmers and cooperatives, so as to establish a more equitable and reasonable pattern of earnings distribution, with the specific results: the earnings of farmers should be increased to $3205, the earnings of cooperatives should be increased to $3148, and the earnings of the e-commerce platform should be reduced to $722.

Optimisation and Application of Entropy Weight Method-TOPSIS Model for Ranking the Importance of Urban Express Sites

With the rapid development of e-commerce, the importance of express delivery network in the modern logistics system is becoming more and more prominent. In order to scientifically assess the importance of urban express sites, this paper proposes a multi-objective decision-making method based on entropy weight method and TOPSIS model. The entropy weight method is objectively assigned by analysing the data dispersion of indicators, and the TOPSIS model is used to rank urban sites by calculating their distance from ideal and negative ideal solutions. In this paper, we firstly processed the data with multiple interpolation to ensure its accuracy, and selected four key indicators, namely, shipping volume, receiving volume, correlation and growth trend of express delivery volume. The results show that the entropy weight method-TOPSIS model can effectively assess the importance of each city site, provide a scientific basis for optimising the express delivery network, and have a wide range of application potential.

Управление логистическими процессами в трансграничной электронной коммерции

In the context of the globalization of the economy and the development of cross-border e-commerce, the importance of cross-border logistics is increasing, allowing for an effective process of product distribution. The issues of organizing transport and logistics processes during the delivery of goods within the framework of the functioning of cross-border e-commerce are discussed. The main aspects of the development of e-commerce logistics and its impact on the trading business have been studied. An analysis of the cross-border e-commerce market in Russia is carried out. It is noted that currently the global logistics industry is in an unstable environment. The main directions and trends in the development of logistics services in modern conditions are considered and the specifics of adapting the process of goods distribution within the framework of cross-border e-commerce to changes in the external environment are investigated. The distinctive features of e-commerce logistics have been studied in the context of its impact on the trading business, which allows for increased efficiency of logistics processes such as procurement, transportation, order processing, inventory and warehouse management, packaging and labeling. It has been proven that with the development of information technology and telecommunication networks, as well as increasing demand in the field of online trading, the need for effective logistics support is significantly increasing, and delivery speed is becoming increasingly important to provide quality service to consumers. The advantages of e-commerce are substantiated from the perspective of subjects of trade and logistics activities, which include the global nature of customer coverage and the convenience of inter-subject interaction, reduction of operating costs of trade and logistics activities, expanded opportunities for marketing and advertising support, increased level of automation of e-commerce logistics management processes.

The Study on The Development Trends of Cross-Border E-Commerce Platforms

With the continuous deepening of globalization and digitalization, cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) has become a critical driving force in promoting international trade and global market development. CBEC not only reshapes traditional trade models but also provides unprecedented internationalization opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), significantly enriching consumer choices and fostering the prosperity and diversification of the global market. Despite the rapid development of e-commerce, there remain numerous challenges in various areas that require further in-depth research and exploration. For instance, how technology can continuously drive the development of CBEC, how consumer behavior adapts to this emerging model, how trade processes can be optimized to accommodate digital transformation, and how CBEC can promote sustainable development and brand internationalization. The answers to these questions are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of CBEC and are the focus of both academic and industry attention. This paper aims to review and analyze the development trends of CBEC, delving into six aspects: technological drivers, consumer behavior, trade process reconstruction, challenges faced, sustainable development, and brand internationalization. The goal is to provide valuable insights and experiences for the further development of cross-border e-commerce.

How e-commerce development affects urban carbon emissions: Evidence from China

Under the dual constraints of ensuring economic growth and achieving the "dual carbon" goals, the impact of e-commerce development on urban carbon emissions has become a new frontier in this era. This study utilizes urban panel data from 2008 to 2021 to systematically investigate the specific effects and mechanisms of e-commerce on carbon emissions from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. The research reveals that pilot policies such as the construction of national e-commerce demonstration cities significantly reduce carbon emissions, a conclusion that holds true even after a series of robustness tests. Further exploration indicates that promoting green innovation and enhancing energy efficiency are vital mechanisms through which pilot policies of national e-commerce demonstration city construction drive carbon emission reductions. Regions in the eastern and southern parts of the country, along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, non-resource-based cities, and peripheral cities are better positioned to leverage the digital economy dividend to advance carbon emissions reduction. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of carbon reduction and the social impacts of e-commerce development.