Publications

This joint ITC-Alibaba publication reviews the context of e-commerce development in China and identifies what is needed for foreign firms to enter the market. China's cross-border e-commerce has been growing rapidly in recent years. This development has brought new and innovative ways to access...

Cross-border e-commerce can help least developed countries (LDCs) to become more competitive and diversify their exports – and this is especially true for Asia-Pacific, the most dynamic region in global e-commerce. To capture that potential, small businesses in these countries need more market...

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa can tackle e-commerce barriers such as formalization, e-payments and delivery by joining forces through collaborative business models. This paper examines the pros and cons of three models – associations, consortiums and cooperatives – and...

This first ITC e-commerce survey provides valuable insights that will allow countries to shape policies and practices that address the real business needs on the ground. To ensure that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can benefit from e-commerce, they need better access to...

A blueprint for small and medium-sized enterprises Advanced economies have developed highly competitive and innovative e-commerce services, making it simple for small enterprises to set up online stores, transport their goods and receive payments. Although entrepreneurs in developing countries...

This report helps small businesses comply with trade rules when selling goods through e-commerce to the European Union and the United States.

Online marketplaces are the dominant form of e-commerce for consumer goods in developed countries. They are also prominent across Africa, offering great potential to serve a new generation of consumers and open opportunities for small entrepreneurs. But little is known about these marketplaces in...

This major business survey shows that almost 80% of small firms that adopted advanced digital tools reported better production efficiency.

Small firms in developing countries are using social media to find new clients and generate trade. This guide advises on how to develop a successful social media strategy with a tight budget. Using real business cases and the latest ways to measure the real-time impact of social media campaigns,...

China is both an exporter and importer of green coffee and roasted coffee. The quantities produced and consumed are modest in a global context: China produces some 40,000 tons of green coffee annually (0.5% of world production). Annual consumption is some 30,000 tons (0.025 kg per capita), a small...

The coffee sector has a huge potential to contribute to poverty alleviation in East Africa, but the sector’s development is hampered by a lack of savings and credit facilities. Moreover, women’s access to financial services is even more restricted than that of men, and most women in rural areas...

Chinese imports of organic foods were about US$ 20 million in 2009, a limited amount compared with the size of the population, but the market has been growing rapidly and may become promising for least developed country exporters. This publication has been prepared to provide guidance to exporters...