Introduction

Abstract

Discusses e-commerce, a dramatic change in the way goods and services trade regionally, nationally, and globally. The internet seamlessly connects buyers and sellers otherwise separated by geographical distances and logistical barriers and makes transactions convenient, fast, and efficient. In 2017, retail consumers spent US$2.3 trillion globally, almost 25 percent more than in 2016. This figure should grow to more than US$4 trillion by 2020, reaching more than 15 percent of total retail spending, from around 10 percent in 2015. South Asia lags in activating the potential benefits from e-commerce, and wide variations exist regionally. While Indians and Pakistanis make significant use of online connectivity, other countries, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, fare worse than many African countries along most e-commerce indicators. A practical approach toward developing cross-border e-commerce includes focusing on simplification of tariff, payment, and logistical barriers to e-commerce, which prove the most immediate constraints to e-commerce firms operating across borders.

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