Abstract

GOMEZ LAZZO, Jaime Paulino; ALVAREZ GAVILANES, Juan Edmundo; TINTO ARANDES, Jaime  and  BERMEO PAZMINO, Katina Vanessa. E-commerce: opportunities and challenges for brands in virtual environments. Universidad y Sociedad [online]. 2024, vol.16, suppl.2, pp. 162-171.  Epub Dec 20, 2024. ISSN 2218-3620.

Adapting to technological and regulatory factors in e-commerce is key for companies to capitalize on opportunities and maintain competitiveness. This study aims to evaluate the opportunities and challenges faced by brands in the e-commerce environment and their impact on e-commerce strategies in Ecuador. Using a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach, data was collected through surveys of entrepreneurs, assessing their perception of e-commerce. The results show that 80.43% consider the digital environment crucial to their strategies, highlighting factors such as personalization and technological adaptation. However, 83% face frequent obstacles, especially in logistics and competition, which limits their potential in the digital market. The findings indicate that while SMEs recognize the benefits of e-commerce, their success depends on overcoming operational challenges and adopting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The research suggests that investing in technological innovation could strengthen the digital presence and operational efficiency of these companies.

Keywords : E-commerce; SMEs; Digital transformation; Digital marketing; Logistics.

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