The Problems and Prospects of e-Commerce Market Development in the Countries of the Latin American Region

Abstract

In the current conditions of rapid digitalization of the worldwide space, taking into account global factors, which are being forced, including such «black swans» as the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues of e-commerce development in the context of certain regions are being activated. The article is aimed at studying and identifying the features and trends of e-commerce development in the Latin American region, a detailed analysis of Brazil, Mexico and Argentina as the largest markets in the region. To achieve this aim, the methods of scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, statistical analysis, comparison, structural and logical generalization were used. The article determines that, given the large population of the region with a significant stratification of society, the region has seen a sharp increase in the e-commerce market, including by means of the mass digitalization of the end user to meet the need for remote work and training during the pandemic. Most researchers distinguish the markets of Brazil, Mexico and Argentina as the largest in the region. There is a significant increase in the presence of regional and global platforms, with an emphasis on the problem of disproportionately large volume of Asian products sold by global platforms. The increase in the volume of trading platforms can have a beneficial impact on the improvement of logistics infrastructure in the region, which is currently one of the key problems. Among the existing problems, experts also indicate a low level of penetration of banking services and a high degree of cash circulation. Due to the specifics of the banking sector, not all local cards are valid on international trading platforms, which is one of the deterrent factors for the development of e-commerce. Based on statistical analysis, it is determined that in the current realities of the Latin American region, the process of digitalization of all e-commerce market participants is experienced while maintaining trends in the steady growth of key indicators of Internet commerce. This characterizes the region as promising in terms of increasing market volumes, the number of Internet consumers, the level of Internet penetration, the modernization of the banking sector and changes in legislation. At the same time, it is identified that in the presence of problems of the shadow economy, a low degree of public confidence in the banking sector, the preservation of a significant disparity in the incomes of categories of the population, there is a need to revalue the prospects and conditions for the further development of the e-commerce market in the post-pandemic period.