Fact check: Growth of e-commerce enables global sales and collaborations

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The statement is supported by concrete data showing massive growth in global e-commerce, with sales expected to reach $6.9 trillion in 2024 and cross-border e-commerce projected to hit $7.9 trillion by 2030. The analyses confirm that e-commerce has created new pathways for international business, with 2.71 billion people expected to shop online in 2024.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

• The original statement overlooks the disruptive impact on physical retail, with 50,828 retail outlets closing in 2018 in the UK alone
• While enabling global sales, e-commerce has created winners and losers - major platforms like those in China and the US dominate the market, potentially limiting true global collaboration
• The statement ignores emerging hybrid solutions like NearSt's technology, which aims to bridge online and offline retail, potentially driving £9 billion back to physical retail
• Fastest growth is happening in developing markets like Mexico (25.1%) and the Philippines (24.1%), suggesting a shift in global retail power dynamics

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

The statement presents e-commerce growth as universally positive while ignoring:

• The consolidation of power among major e-commerce platforms, primarily benefiting tech giants in China and the United States
• The negative impact on local retail economies and traditional business models
• The statement implies equal opportunity for global collaboration, when in reality, the benefits are unevenly distributed, with established tech companies and large retailers having significant advantages in the global marketplace