The rise of e-commerce is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching business phenomena in recent years.
With the popularity of the internet and the widespread use of smartphones, more and more people are becoming accustomed to online shopping.
With just a few clicks of the mouse or a finger, you can have your favorite products delivered to your doorstep, and this convenient shopping experience is really addictive.
However, while e-commerce is booming, some countries have begun to "ring the alarm bell" for it.
They believe that e-commerce is only an online transaction and does not bring substantial contributions to society. What's going on here?
To understand this problem, we must first understand the operation mode of e-commerce.
Unlike traditional retail, e-commerce platforms do not produce goods themselves, but act as an "intermediary" between consumers and merchants.
By building an online platform, e-commerce companies provide a place for both parties to trade and a channel for payment, from which they can earn commissions or advertising fees. From this point of view, it seems that e-commerce is only "moving" offline transactions, and does not create new value.
What's more worrying is that the booming development of e-commerce may have an impact on the real economy.
As more and more consumers turn to online shopping, some traditional retail companies are facing a decline in customer traffic and revenue. Some small and medium-sized enterprises, which are already fragile, have even become unsustainable and have to close their doors.
This has not only resulted in the loss of jobs, but also affected local tax revenues and economic vitality. It can be said that the rise of e-commerce has, to a certain extent, "encroached" on the living space of the real economy.
Of course, e-commerce is not without its benefits.
It breaks the geographical restrictions and allows consumers in remote areas to enjoy a variety of goods and services; It has given birth to a number of emerging industries such as logistics and express delivery, creating a large number of employment opportunities for the society; It has also promoted the development of mobile payment, big data and other technologies, providing new momentum for economic transformation and upgrading.
From this point of view, the contribution of e-commerce to economic development cannot be ignored.
The crux of the matter is how to strike a balance between promoting e-commerce and protecting the real economy.
The reason why some countries are "open" to e-commerce is that they hope that through policy guidance, e-commerce and physical retail can achieve complementary symbiosis, rather than eliminating the advantages of one and the other.
For example, some countries require e-commerce platforms to set up physical branches locally to drive local employment and consumption; Some countries impose higher tariffs on cross-border e-commerce to protect their own manufacturing industries; Some countries encourage e-commerce enterprises to cooperate with physical stores to carry out online and offline integrated development...... These measures all reflect the policy orientation of "grasping with both hands".
For consumers, the convenience and benefits brought by e-commerce are obvious to all.
But we also need to see that offline consumption also has its own unique charm.
Shopping is not only a leisure way, but also a social experience.
In the physical store, we can see the texture of the product with our own eyes, try on the favorite items, and communicate face-to-face with the shopping guide, which cannot be replaced by online shopping.
Especially for our middle-aged and elderly people, shopping is a rare pleasure, which allows us to go out of the house, blend into the crowd, and feel the fireworks of life.
At the end of the day, e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail have their own merits and should not be viewed in isolation.
As consumers, we can enjoy the convenience of online shopping and support the development of physical stores.
Only by going hand in hand with online and offline can we make our consumer experience richer and more diverse.
At the same time, businesses should also conform to the trend of the times, actively embrace the Internet, and use new technologies and new models to create greater value for consumers.
Only in this way can e-commerce and the real economy achieve a win-win situation and contribute more to economic and social development.
Friends, what do you think about the relationship between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail? What role do they play in your consumer life? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area to share, and let us contribute to building a more prosperous consumer market!