4 and-a-half Trivia Facts We Don't Usually Hear About e-Commerce

And now for something completely different…

When we read or talk about e-Commerce, we often come across the same few topics: machine learning, growth KPIs, Amazon, campaigns. Ok, there are more than just a few things but what about the stories we don’t hear? The unseen effects of our growing reliance on e-tail?

This isn’t a doom and gloom article about the dark and seedy underbelly of e-Commerce. This is a collection of interesting side-effects that struck us as things we wouldn’t usually think about...

Back to school for all

We might pick on our older relatives for the way they use modern technology, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn! Elderly chinese citizens are taking classes to learn how to use mobile devices better, so they can get all the benefits youngsters have - including online shopping!

On the other side of the world, 77% of the US workforce are actively engaging in retraining in one way or another.

Computers aren’t just for the young!

Get on your bike!

In Mumbai, the popular bicycle lunch delivery guys - or dabbawallas - are being used as couriers for packages too. e-Commerce is often associated with innovation, and this is a great example of that.

Taking the scenic route

Van drivers are benefitting from a change of scenery from the highway to the beautiful countryside as more and more people in remote areas frequent online shopping sites.

When you don’t have a convenience store on your doorstep, bring the convenience to you!

Lower emissions

You might think that more online shopping would lead to more delivery vehicles on the road and you’re not entirely wrong. But that also means smaller cars are doing less running around, and since delivery trucks can carry much larger loads, they actually have a smaller carbon footprint per item!

Physical stores opening to demand

We often hear that online retail is killing high street stores. “Big name retailer is being forced to close 100s of stores because of low turnovers”, but maybe that has less to do with the online world than we first think. e-Commerce engine, ‘Shopify’ was recently reported to be opening a brick-and-mortar store in the US, and they’re not alone in using the sequence of “online first - physical store later”, Amazon is also set to do the same.

This one only gets half a point because it isn’t that much of a secret, but we still think it’s an interesting turn of events. 

Do you have any interesting facts to share with us about the lesser thought effects of e-Commerce? Drop us a comment below or send us a message!

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