The Impact of Digital Economy Development on Residents' Consumption

Abstract

In recent years, the digital economys development has affected all aspects of society, of which residential consumption is a very important part. Currently, domestic research of the digital economy on consumption is on the rise, but most of the current research is theoretical analysis, lacking empirical results and related impact mechanisms. Based on the data of China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2010 and 2014, this paper uses the "Broadband China" strategy released in 2013 as a natural experiment of the digital economy, and applies the difference-in-difference (DID) method to estimate the digital economys impact on the consumption of residents. The study finds that the development of the digital economy has a significant positive effect on residents' consumption, mainly through three paths: social capital, human capital and income effect. The examination of heterogeneity reveals that the central region, urban residents, the middle and high education level, and the middle income group are the main beneficiaries of the digital economy's promotion of consumption, and the further study finds that the digital economys impact on residents' consumption is concentrated on subsistence consumption.