IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE: EVIDENCE FROM KERALA STATE – THE EMERGING KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY IN SOUTH INDIA

Abstract

This study aims at a comprehensive understanding of the impact of e-commerce on the economy, focusing on various dimensions of household consumption pattern, impact on the lives of beneficiaries with special mention to delivery persons and economic impact on retail shops. The study has found that though e-commerce platform is widely used by individuals to purchase textiles, electronic goods and for miscellaneous shopping. Half of the respondents think online shopping has not changed their consumption pattern. It brings forth the fact that people rely on online shopping mainly for convenience. For the retail shops, overall returns have increased through online sales. For majority of delivery persons surveyed, this job is their primary source of income. This shows that e-commerce can emerge as key employment generating platform especially for youths. This is particularly true for Kerala State in India, it being the State with high youth unemployment rate. Kerala has huge ICT resources including manpower and the State is mandated to become a knowledge economy in the globe. The paper suggests the promotion of e-Commerce for environment-friendly and sustained economic growth in today’s knowledge era.