Global e-commerce enters a new growth phase driven by "AI + Mobile": Reconstruction of market landscape and business logic

Introduction

Global e-commerce is undergoing a structural transformation driven by mobile internet and artificial intelligence. According to the latest data from Statista, global retail e-commerce sales are expected to exceed US$3.6 trillion in 2025, accounting for 23.5% of total global retail sales. Smartphones already account for nearly 80% of retail website traffic, social commerce accounts for 15%, and AI technology is reshaping e-commerce operating logic across the entire chain, from search and recommendation to logistics and delivery. All of this means that the e-commerce industry has moved beyond the simple "going online" stage and entered the deep-water zone of the digital economy, where data, intelligence, and platform ecosystems are the core competitiveness.

Background

The "E-commerce worldwide" report released by Statista paints a panoramic picture of global e-commerce. Currently, the number of global internet users has surpassed 6 billion, and the huge population base combined with continuously deepening digital penetration provides broad development space for e-commerce. In the competitive landscape, Seattle-based Amazon remains far ahead, with global revenue approaching US$638 billion in 2025, leading its Chinese competitors Pinduoduo (which owns Temu), Douyin, JD.com, and Taobao in gross merchandise value (GMV). Taobao, which is part of Alibaba Group, is Asia's leading online commerce provider.

Mobile device usage is one of the most prominent trends in the e-commerce sector. In 2025, smartphones account for nearly 80% of global retail website traffic and also contribute the vast majority of online orders. This phenomenon is particularly prominent in regions where digital infrastructure remains underdeveloped—mobile devices are becoming the primary bridge that spans the hardware divide and directly connects consumers with online markets.

At the same time, e-commerce continues to attract new consumers. When shopping online, consumers worldwide value convenience most, and major e-commerce platforms simultaneously play the roles of product search, inspiration, and transaction completion. Currently, fashion and consumer electronics are the largest vertical categories in the B2C sector, contributing a significant share of online retail sales.

Digital Economy Analysis

The continued expansion of e-commerce is not only a shift in retail channels, but also a concentrated embodiment of the underlying logic of the digital economy. With more than 6 billion internet users worldwide, the digital market has nearly unlimited demand potential, and e-commerce platforms, as hubs connecting supply and demand, see their value grow exponentially with user scale. The mobile trend has further lowered the barrier to entry, especially in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where smartphones have become the primary tool for users to access the global network of goods and services, driving fundamental changes in user behavior.From a data perspective, every click, search, browse, and payment becomes part of the platform's data assets. Leading e-commerce platforms accumulate massive amounts of user behavior and transaction data to continuously optimize user profiles, product recommendations, and supply chain scheduling, forming a "data flywheel" effect—the more data, the more precise the services; the more precise the services, the higher user stickiness, thereby attracting more merchants and users and strengthening network effects. This data-driven self-reinforcing mechanism is the core of e-commerce platforms building long-term competitive advantages.

Moreover, the value of e-commerce data has transcended retail itself. Transaction data, consumption habits, credit records, and more have become foundational resources for fintech, precision marketing, and intelligent logistics. E-commerce platforms are evolving from product intermediaries into infrastructure of the digital economy, and their data spillover effects are reshaping multiple industries such as advertising, payments, and cloud computing.

Business Model Observations

The business models of global e-commerce are evolving from a single commission-based structure to a diversified, ecosystem-oriented approach. Taking Amazon as an example, its business landscape already encompasses e-commerce retail, cloud computing services (AWS), digital content, and advertising. In 2024, among Amazon's global revenue, the share of non-pure-retail income such as subscription services, advertising, and third-party seller services has been continuously increasing, forming a composite structure that acquires customers through retail and monetizes through cloud and advertising. This "basic retail + value-added services" model effectively reduces dependence on a single path and enhances overall profitability.

Chinese e-commerce platforms have explored another path. The Alibaba ecosystem, with Taobao and Tmall at its core, relies on Alipay to build a financial ecosystem and integrates logistics through Cainiao Network; Pinduoduo rose rapidly through social viral growth and low-price strategies, and its overseas platform Temu has replicated the "fully managed" model in international markets, directly connecting factories with consumers and compressing intermediate links; Douyin e-commerce leverages content recommendation algorithms to turn short videos and livestreams into transaction scenarios, creating a new "interest e-commerce" model. These platforms no longer rely solely on search-based price comparison, but instead stimulate potential demand through content, social interaction, and algorithms, changing the traditional e-commerce shopping path.

AI technology is becoming a key tool for all e-commerce platforms to reduce costs and increase efficiency. From personalized recommendations, intelligent customer service, dynamic pricing, to warehouse automation and predictive logistics, AI significantly improves operational efficiency and customer experience. In mature markets, AI-driven precision marketing and supply chain optimization have become core competitiveness for e-commerce platforms; in emerging markets, AI is also overcoming the barriers of insufficient infrastructure, for example by using intelligent voice assistants to serve users who are not adept at typing. AI technology is transforming e-commerce from "people finding products" to "products finding people," greatly shortening decision paths and improving conversion rates.

Market Competition AnalysisThe competitive landscape of the global e-commerce market is undergoing dynamic changes. Amazon, with its global logistics network, Prime membership system, and cloud computing infrastructure, still maintains a leading position in the global market. However, Chinese platforms are accelerating their overseas expansion through capital, supply chains, and model innovation, posing a substantial challenge to Amazon. Temu's rapid expansion in the European and American markets, Douyin E-commerce's layout in Southeast Asia and Europe, and SHEIN's strong performance in the fast-fashion sector all indicate that Chinese e-commerce companies are transitioning from their role as the “world's factory” to competitors on the “global platform” stage.

From a GMV perspective, although Amazon leads, Pinduoduo, Douyin, JD.com, and Taobao are close behind, with varying growth rates. Temu, with its extreme cost-effectiveness and social fission strategies, has acquired a large number of users in a short period, becoming one of the most downloaded shopping apps globally. Douyin E-commerce, relying on the strong interactivity of short videos, has established strong mindshare among young consumers. This competitive dynamic will drive comprehensive upgrades in global e-commerce across multiple dimensions including price, logistics, service, and experience.

AI technology is becoming a competitive watershed. Leading platforms have deeply integrated AI into search, recommendation, advertising, customer service, and logistics, forming an intelligent advantage. For example, Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus, Alibaba's AI shopping guide and intelligent supply chain, and TikTok's recommendation algorithm are all dedicated to improving traffic conversion efficiency. If small and medium-sized platforms cannot keep up with AI investment, they are likely to fall into a disadvantage in traffic costs and user retention.

In addition, the rise of social e-commerce and live-streaming e-commerce has changed the competitive rules of traditional shelf e-commerce. Content-driven platforms represented by Douyin E-commerce, TikTok Shop, and Instagram Shopping are eroding the market share of traditional e-commerce. Social e-commerce currently accounts for approximately 15% of global e-commerce, and this proportion is expected to continue to rise, which will pose a structural challenge to traditional shelf e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba.

Data and Regulatory Impact

As e-commerce's importance in the retail sector continues to grow, data governance and regulatory compliance have become particularly critical. Globally, data privacy protection, antitrust, and artificial intelligence governance have become policy hotspots. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) have set strict compliance benchmarks for international platforms. Amazon, Apple, and other large technology companies have been investigated and fined multiple times for data abuse and anti-competitive behavior, forcing platform companies to reassess their data collection and algorithm usage methods.In cross-border data flows, policy differences among countries are pronounced. The EU emphasizes personal data protection, the US prioritizes the free flow of data, while China requires localized storage of key data, and emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and India have also introduced data localization policies. This fragmented regulatory environment increases the complexity and compliance costs of global e-commerce operations. At the same time, regulation of AI algorithms is tightening, especially in recommendation systems and automated decision-making, where transparency and explainability requirements will become the focus of future regulation.

Looking ahead, regulation will place greater emphasis on balancing user rights and industry innovation. For example, requirements for algorithm transparency may prompt platforms to give users control over recommendation results; mandatory data-sharing rules may break data monopolies and promote competition among small and medium-sized merchants. E-commerce companies must treat data governance as a strategic core, not merely a compliance burden.First, data intelligence is the core of future e-commerce competitiveness. Platforms are no longer just trading venues, but matching engines based on data and algorithms. Enterprises that can turn data into insights and insights into personalized experiences will gain sustainable competitive advantages.

Second, building a platform ecosystem is more important than any single business. Amazon's AWS and advertising business, Alibaba Cloud's synergy, and Tencent's WeChat ecosystem all demonstrate the long-term value of an ecosystem-based layout. E-commerce enterprises should revolve around core transaction scenarios and extend into payments, logistics, cloud computing, and fintech to form a closed-loop ecosystem.

Finally, stricter regulation is an inevitable trend, but it is not a negative factor. Reasonable regulation helps build user trust and promote the healthy and orderly development of the industry. Forward-looking enterprises should proactively embrace compliance, and even participate in rule-making, turning regulatory challenges into moats for brand reputation and user experience.

Looking ahead to the next decade, three major variables—AI, data, and platform ecosystems—will reshape the global e-commerce landscape. Enterprises need to maintain strategic agility and find new growth fulcrums in an ever-changing environment. DigitalEcoNews will continue to follow this process and provide deep insights for digital economy decision-makers.