In order for e-commerce to work, a region needs to not only have the right infrastructure, but a cohesive network that retailers can use to tap into the various markets. Unfortunately for Southeast Asia, the region lacks both the proper infrastructure and a cohesive network. Even more unfortunate is that fact that big name companies like Amazon and eBay haven’t put resources or focus into the region due to it’s lower than average consumer spending. However, a Thai company is aiming to Southeast Asia’s e-commerce ‘bottleneck’.
Though it boasts a population of over 600 million people, e-commerce in Southeast Asia is fundamentally broken. Amazon, eBay and other global retailers have not put resources or focus into the region, and it is bereft of any dominant e-commerce players. Most importantly, it has no cohesive network or infrastructure for retailers to tap into the region through a single point.
