1. Introduction

The rise of e-commerce marks the digital transformation of global economic activities. This transformation is not only a direct result of technological progress [1], but also a comprehensive manifestation of economic globalization, changes in market structure, and the evolution of consumer behavior [2]. Since the 1990s, e-commerce has begun to shape new business models. Its development model has expanded from the B2B model that "emphasizes the optimization of supply chain management between enterprises" and the B2C model that "pays attention to changes in consumer behavior" to "enables consumption to The C2C model, in which "the operator itself plays the dual role of both buyer and seller in the electronic market", covers a wide range of fields from manufacturing to service industries. The development of e-commerce relies on the rapid progress of information and communication technology (ICT), and its impact on the economic model, through innovative business models [3], expansion of market participation [4], and significant reduction of transaction costs [5] and other ways to achieve.

Academic research on e-commerce mostly focuses on how it can promote the improvement of market efficiency and increase consumer welfare through technological innovation. Economists use microeconomic models and econometric methods to analyze how e-commerce affects price competition, market structure, and cooperation and competition strategies among enterprises. The expansion of e-commerce has had a fundamental impact on the modern economic model, which is not only reflected in the digitization of commercial activities, but also has a broader impact on employment [6], corporate organizational structures, and international trade patterns. From the perspective of market factors, the development of e-commerce has promoted the integration of the global market, making geographical and time constraints no longer the main obstacles to commercial activities. E-commerce has changed the traditional retail format, making the boundaries between the service industry and manufacturing increasingly blurred [7]. From the perspective of labor factors, e-commerce has had a profound impact on the labor market by providing more flexible employment opportunities, such as remote work and freelancing [8].

Given this, this study aims to explore how e-commerce can redefine the model of modern economic development, especially its role in promoting economic growth, assisting regional economic synergy, improving production efficiency, and increasing employment opportunities. It also provides policymakers with information when formulating provide theoretical basis and empirical support for relevant economic policies and regulatory measures. Through the discussion in this article, a more systematic analysis framework will be provided, and policy suggestions for the theoretical research and practical application of e-commerce.

2. The Impact of E-Commerce on Economic Growth

The development of e-commerce has a significant positive impact on a country's economic growth. Studies have shown that the per capita income of many countries has been significantly positively affected by the development of e-commerce [9].

First, the development of e-commerce has improved market efficiency and reduced transaction costs. Nowadays, with the development of technology, major online shopping platforms have quickly rushed into the public eye. These e-commerce platforms provide users with a large amount of product information, including price, quality, inventory, and reviews from other users. This allows consumers to easily compare products or services from different merchants and make more informed shopping decisions. Not only that, but the development of e-commerce has also broken the geographical and time constraints of the commodity market and expanded the market size [10]. Before the rise of e-commerce, people could only buy goods in local malls and would never consider buying the products from other countries. However, with the development of e-commerce, people can easily cross geographical boundaries and browse and purchase products from all over the world on e-commerce platforms with just a click of the mouse or a swipe of the screen. This change not only greatly broadened the boundaries of the market and opened unprecedented sales channels for enterprises but also enabled enterprises to reach a wider and more diverse consumer group, promoting the prosperity of global trade and the diversified satisfaction of consumer needs.

Secondly, the development of e-commerce has promoted industrial upgrading and created new jobs for society. According to statistics, there are more than 60 million e-commerce employees in the country [11]. The development of e-commerce has driven the development of a series of tertiary industries such as information technology and logistics. The service industry is the largest and most dynamic industry in the modern economy [10]. With the development of e-commerce, electronic payment emerged at the times required. Electronic payment reduces the complexity of cash transactions, makes capital turnover on the Internet faster and more convenient, reduces the risk of transaction errors, and improves capital turnover efficiency. The rapid development of e-commerce has brought about many parcel and cargo transportation needs. With the popularity of online shopping, consumers' demand for fast and efficient logistics services continues to increase, driving the rapid expansion and upgrading of the logistics industry. China's express delivery business revenue in 2020 was 879.5 billion yuan, an increase of 17.3% over the previous year [11]. In addition, the diverse demands of e-commerce also prompt the logistics industry to adopt new technologies to provide better services. For example, automated warehouses and the Internet of Things have become popular in recent years.

Third, the development of e-commerce has promoted the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and injected fresh blood into the market. E-commerce platforms provide a way for small and medium-sized enterprises to obtain markets, information, and resources that were previously unavailable [12]. Through e-commerce platforms, small and medium-sized enterprises have significantly reduced the various expenses of offline stores in the traditional retail industry. They can also use the excellent supply chain management tools of e-commerce platforms to optimize their inventory, manipulate orders and logistics management, and provide consumers with better services. In this way, small and medium-sized enterprises can use e-commerce platforms to increase their brand awareness and gain opportunities to compete fairly with big brand companies.

Fourth, the development of e-commerce has promoted the rise and development of the logistics industry. With the popularity of e-commerce platforms, it is easier for people to buy the things they need and like on e-commerce platforms. This has led to a significant increase in the number of traded commodities and an increasing demand for the logistics industry. Enterprises need to consider improving the industrial chain, and the country also needs to consider logistics and distribution efficiency. This has led to the iteration of logistics technology and companies, which have promoted the construction of the country's infrastructure, transportation, and distribution efficiency. The development of the logistics industry chain and e-commerce complement each other. With the continuous advancement of logistics technology and the significant improvement of distribution efficiency, this trend has further accelerated people's enthusiasm and demand for online shopping. Products can now be easily purchased online through an efficient logistics system and enjoy fast delivery services, especially those that are extremely time-sensitive, such as chilled food, etc.

3. The Impact of E-Commerce on Industrial Structure

3.1. Development Overview

As shown in table 1, from 2013 to 2022, the scale of China’s e-commerce transactions has increased significantly, from 10.283 trillion yuan to 43.830 trillion yuan. At the same time, the digital transformation index of various industries has also shown varying degrees of change. The digital transformation index of the manufacturing industry has increased from 35.426 in 2013 to 36.020 in 2022. The service industry index has declined, from 47.828 in 2013 to 44.289 in 2022. The digital transformation index of the retail industry will increase from 32.443 in 2013 to 35.830 in 2022.

Table 1: China's e-commerce transaction volume and digital transformation index of various industries from 2013 to 2022.

Source: The data comes from the CSMAR database of Guotai An.

3.2. Impact on the Transformation of Manufacturing Industry

The digital transformation of the manufacturing industry has promoted the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry by introducing advanced information technology and e-commerce platforms, improving its production efficiency, and changing its supply chain management strategy. As can be seen from Table 1, although the digital transformation index of the manufacturing industry has fluctuated in some years, it has shown a stable growth trend overall. The application of e-commerce enables the manufacturing industry to control inventory more accurately, shorten product time to market, and enhance the response speed to the consumer market. The scale of e-commerce transactions in the manufacturing industry has increased from 1 time in 2013 to 4.262 times in 2022, reflecting the significant role of digital transformation in improving industrial competitiveness.

3.3. Impact on the Transformation of the Service Industry

The digital transformation of the service industry is affected by different factors. Although the overall trend is growing, the data in 2022 shows a large decline, which may be related to the increased market saturation and intensified competition. E-commerce provides new business models for the service industry, such as remote services and online consultation. These new models not only expand the market scope of the service industry, but also improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction. The high efficiency and high-quality service supply achieved by the service industry through e-commerce has brought unprecedented convenience to consumers.

3.4. Impact on Retail Transformation

Retail is one of the industries undergoing the most significant digital transformation. From 2013 to 2022, both the digital transformation index and e-commerce transaction size of the retail industry showed significant growth. The rise of e-commerce has greatly promoted online sales in the retail industry, thus achieving the transformation from traditional physical stores to online platforms. This shift not only gives consumers more product choices and a more convenient shopping experience but also prompts retailers to innovate in marketing strategies and customer services.

4. The Impact of E-commerce on Regional Economic Integration

Regional economic integration refers to a series of cooperative behaviors in which multiple countries or regions in a specific geographical area sign economic cooperation agreements or establish economic cooperation mechanisms to achieve high-level cooperation and coordination in the economic field, eliminate trade barriers between each other, and allow the cooperating countries to have closer economic ties. The development of e-commerce has promoted the deeper development and wider application of this cooperation model.

First of all, the development of e-commerce has eliminated trade barriers between countries, making transactions between countries simpler and increasing the transaction volume of each country. The development of e-commerce and the emergence of cross-border e-commerce have made the procedures and processes of cross-border transactions convenient and fast. Cross-border e-commerce provides consumers with a more convenient way to buy goods from other countries. People don’t have to go to other countries or specialty stores, they can see what goods are available in other countries on their mobile phones. The cross-border e-commerce platform not only provides multilingual product introductions, making it easier for consumers to understand products and compare goods horizontally but also provides a variety of cross-border payment and settlement systems, solving the problem of currency settlement between different countries and simplifying the entire transaction process. In addition, in some free trade zones, cross-border e-commerce can get policy support, thereby obtaining some tariff preferences and exemptions, and reducing trade costs.

Secondly, the development of e-commerce has promoted cooperation among enterprises in similar regions and improved the industrial supply chain and transportation chain of local enterprises. The development of e-commerce has improved the efficiency of resource allocation in the region and promoted market integration by promoting the construction of logistics infrastructure and supply chain integration. In addition, the development of e-commerce has promoted the coordination of economic policies in the region, prompted countries to reach consensus on tariffs, taxes, and standardization, and further promoted the integration of the regional economy. Not only that, the development of e-commerce has also enabled small and medium-sized enterprises to obtain more development opportunities. The vigorous development of small and medium-sized enterprises can divide labor in society more refined and clearer, thereby optimizing the industrial structure of the entire regional economy and making the operation of the entire regional economy more efficient.

5. Countermeasures and Suggestions

To effectively promote the digital transformation of traditional industries through e-commerce, the following comprehensive strategic recommendations are proposed:

First, establish a cross-industry cooperation platform. The government should promote a cross-industry cooperation platform between the manufacturing, retail, and service industries, and support these industries to work together on the e-commerce platform through policy incentives and resource allocation. In addition, enterprises should be encouraged to cooperate with scientific research institutions to develop new technologies that meet industry needs, such as artificial intelligence and big data analysis, to promote technological innovation and achieve industrial upgrading. Such cross-industry cooperation and technological innovation can improve the overall efficiency and market competitiveness of the industrial chain.

Second, improve digital infrastructure construction and policy support. Strengthen the construction of digital infrastructure, especially in areas with information asymmetry and weak infrastructure, and improve the penetration and quality of the Internet [13]. At the same time, formulate a forward-looking and flexible policy framework, simplify the registration and operation process of e-commerce, provide tax incentives, and strengthen the protection of data security and consumer rights [10]. These measures will provide a solid foundation for the healthy development of e-commerce while ensuring that technological innovation is carried out within the legal and ethical framework.

Third, continue to support talent training and skill improvement. The government and educational institutions should work together to develop educational programs and vocational training programs that match industry needs, especially for employees of small and medium-sized enterprises. By providing opportunities for continuing education, they can help existing employees upgrade their digital skills and provide the industry with new talents with modern e-commerce capabilities.

6. Conclusion

Nowadays, the development of e-commerce has changed the original economic development model, and e-commerce platforms occupy an important position in the new economic growth model and industrial structure. E-commerce platforms not only provide consumers with more convenient and economical trading methods but also provide better industrial configuration for various enterprises. At the same time, e-commerce has also promoted the development of related industries such as logistics, as well as various forms of technological innovation, such as electronic payment. In this era of gradual economic globalization, the development of e-commerce is a top priority. In addition to making the flow of social resources more efficient, the development of e-commerce also shoulders the heavy responsibility of integrating economic and regional economic integration. The emergence of e-commerce not only makes trade between countries easier and more convenient but also provides a platform for cooperation and competition for enterprises in both countries. The logistics industry, which has flourished due to e-commerce, has also played a key role in this. The development of the logistics industry has improved the efficiency of product transportation and better optimized the supply chain problems of various products. Not only that, e-commerce platforms can also use big data and artificial intelligence technologies to achieve accurate inventory management and demand forecasting, reducing resource waste.

In general, the development of e-commerce has played a positive role in the economic development model of the entire society. Although it has had an impact on the traditional retail industry, the development of e-commerce has a positive impact on the entire society and has not caused the economy to regress or decline. At present, the difficulties encountered by e-commerce platforms include technical challenges, legal and regulatory issues, logistics and supply chain management, and consumer trust issues. This article suggests that the government should actively support these e-commerce companies so that they can have more resources to better face these difficulties, actively participate in the supervision and regulation of the e-commerce industry, discover the loopholes in it as soon as possible, and formulate relevant laws.

Authors Contribution

All the authors contributed equally and their names were listed in alphabetical order.