An analysis of Cambodia’s e-commerce and way forward

Abstract

This study aims to explore Cambodia’s e-commerce before and during the pandemic and provide recommendations as a way forward, by consulting with the government’s and international organizations' secondary data. It is found that e-commerce in Cambodia has just surged in the last few years mainly due to the diffusion of technology and mobile internet. This comes in tandem with the outbreak of the world pandemic when traveling has been restricted making online shopping a new experience. Thanks to the young population, vast internet use and private investments, they all contribute to the recent development. However, there are barriers that hampered the growth emanating from insufficient rules and regulations, the lack of consumers’ trust, and the low digital literacy rate. Therefore, it needs involvement from government bodies to promote digital competency, strengthen online security, and support innovation and start-up. Moreover, entrepreneurs should partake in this journey by registering their online business, forming associations, adopting the local language on online platforms and investing more in digital infrastructure.