# E-commerce and digital marketplaces Stratum 6 · Integrated services Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/ Stratum 6 · Integrated services ## E-commerce and digital marketplaces E-commerce sells goods and services through websites, apps and marketplaces, joining sellers, payment rails, warehouses and delivery fleets into one online purchase. UNCTAD estimates business e-commerce sales across 43 economies (about three-quarters of world GDP) at almost US$ 27 trillion in 2022, most of it business-to-business; online retail reaches 25-30% of all retail sales in China, the UK and Korea.^[1](https://unctad.org/publication/business-e-commerce-sales-and-role-online-platforms) **India.** India's e-retail market reached US$ 65-66 billion of GMV in 2025 with 290-300 million online shoppers, and Bain expects US$ 170-180 billion by 2030; quick commerce was already US$ 10-11 billion, 16-17% of GMV^[2](https://www.bain.com/insights/how-india-shops-online-2026/). Payments run largely on UPI, which handled 24.07 billion transactions worth ₹29.37 lakh crore in September 2026, up 23% by volume on a year earlier (NPCI data)^[3](https://ddindia.co.in/2026/10/upi-transactions-surge-23-to-24-07-billion-in-september-npci/). Depends on 23 of 35 industries · 6 directly Relied on by 0 industries, directly or indirectly Enterprise types 10 in 6 stages Chokepoints 0 rated 5 of 5 Size almost US$ 27 trillion of business e-commerce sales (43 economies, B2B and B2C; UNCTAD estimate) 2022 ## [Where ₹100 of e-commerce and digital marketplaces output goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/cost-mix/) Where ₹100 of e-commerce and digital marketplaces output goes Every rupee of sales is paid out to someone along the chain. This splits ₹100 of output by who finally receives it, so you can see how exposed the industry is to commodity, chemical and energy prices. Commodities ₹1.7 Chemicals ₹0.1… ## [Price links with supplier industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/price-links/) Price links with supplier industries How the industries this one buys from shape its prices: the share of its costs they make up, and how their prices have moved together. Tap a row for the charts. Hover or tap ? for what each measure means. Supplier industry Cost share Raw-material mix… ## [Follow one offering through the chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/story/) Follow one offering through the chain 6 Example story · 6 steps · India A quick-commerce grocery order on Blinkit Follow one quick-commerce basket from rented cloud servers and brand warehouses to a dark store and a rider at the door. 1 / 6 · Digital infrastructure An app running on rented servers… ## [Buys directly from](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/linked-industries/) Buys directly from Wholesale and retail trade Transport and logistics Software and IT services Data centres and cloud Finance: banking, insurance, markets Paper and packaging Depends on through its suppliers Apparel and footwear Building materials Computers and electronics Construction and… ## [Value chain, from upstream to the customer](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/value-chain/) Value chain, from upstream to the customer Criticality to the chain: 5 · Chokepoint 4 · Critical 3 · Important 2 · Supporting 1 · Commodity service Stage 1 Digital infrastructure Cloud and hosting providers 4 · Critical Rent compute, storage, content delivery and databases to marketplaces and… ## [What the whole chain draws on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/materials/) What the whole chain draws on Every commodity, chemical and energy tile named by the enterprises above; ×n shows how many of them depend on it. Open any tile for its full detail. Commodities (7) Cu Copper H₂O Water St Steel Oil Crude oil Li Lithium Ct Cotton Tm Timber Chemicals (6) LLDPE… ## [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/risks/) Chokepoints and risks Platform concentration: a few marketplaces and ad platforms set fees and visibility for millions of sellers. Payment rail concentration: UPI handled 24.07 billion transactions in one month (September 2026), so outages or fee changes affect almost all Indian online checkout 3… ## [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/sources/) Sources Business e-commerce sales and the role of online platforms UNCTAD, 2024 How India Shops Online 2026 Bain & Company and Flipkart, 2026 UPI transactions surge 23% to 24.07 billion in September: NPCI DD News (Prasar Bharati), reporting NPCI data, 2026 Cloud market share Q1 2026: AWS… ## Relationship cards - [Household and personal care](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-household-and-personal-care/): Online marketplaces and quick-commerce apps have become a fast-growing route to market for soaps, shampoos, detergents and skin care in Indian cities. Quick commerce now makes up most online FMCG sales and a large slice of metro sales, so brands are reshaping packs, pricing and distribution around a few platforms while still relying on kiranas for most volume. *(researched)* - [Apparel and footwear](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/apparel-and-footwear-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): Apparel and footwear buys from E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Apparel and footwear; apparel and footwear depends on E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on apparel and footwear. - [Computers and electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/computers-and-electronics-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): Computers and electronics buys from E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Computers and electronics; computers and electronics depends on E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on computers and electronics. - [Food and beverage processing](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-food-and-beverage-processing/): Food and beverage processing buys from E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Food and beverage processing; food and beverage processing depends on E-commerce and digital marketplaces; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on food and beverage processing. - [AI and digital platforms](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ai-and-digital-platforms-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from AI and digital platforms; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on AI and digital platforms. - [Data centres and cloud](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/data-centres-and-cloud-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Data centres and cloud; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on data centres and cloud. - [Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-finance-banking-insurance-markets/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Finance: banking, insurance, markets; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on finance: banking, insurance, markets. - [Furniture](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-furniture/): Furniture buys from E-commerce and digital marketplaces; furniture depends on E-commerce and digital marketplaces. - [Machinery and equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-machinery-and-equipment/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Machinery and equipment; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on machinery and equipment. - [Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-media-and-entertainment/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Media and entertainment; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on media and entertainment. - [Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-paper-and-packaging/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Paper and packaging; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on paper and packaging. - [Pharmaceuticals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-pharmaceuticals/): Pharmaceuticals buys from E-commerce and digital marketplaces; pharmaceuticals depends on E-commerce and digital marketplaces. - [Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-real-estate/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Real estate; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on real estate. - [Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-software-and-it-services/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Software and IT services; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on software and IT services. - [Telecommunications](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-telecommunications/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Telecommunications; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on telecommunications. - [Transport and logistics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-transport-and-logistics/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Transport and logistics; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on transport and logistics. - [Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-vehicles-ships-rail-aircraft/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft. - [Wholesale and retail trade](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-wholesale-and-retail-trade/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Wholesale and retail trade; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on wholesale and retail trade. - [Adhesives and sealants](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/adhesives-and-sealants-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on adhesives and sealants. - [Aviation propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/aviation-propulsion-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on aviation propulsion. - [Boilers, furnaces and stoves](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/boilers-furnaces-and-stoves-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on boilers, furnaces and stoves. - [Combustion road vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/combustion-road-vehicles-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on combustion road vehicles. - [Copper](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/copper-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on copper. - [Cotton](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/cotton-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on cotton. - [Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/crude-oil-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on crude oil. - [Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/data-centres-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on data centres. - [Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/distribution-grids-mini-grids-and-interconnectors-and-e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors. - [Electric and hybrid vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-electric-and-hybrid-vehicles/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on electric and hybrid vehicles. - [Embodied energy trade](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-embodied-energy-trade/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on embodied energy trade. - [Latent heat and cold storage](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-latent-heat-and-cold-storage/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on latent heat and cold storage. - [Lithium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-lithium/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on lithium. - [Lithium iron phosphate batteries](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on lithium iron phosphate batteries. - [PET resin](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-pet-resin/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on PET resin. - [Polyester fibre](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-polyester-fibre/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on polyester fibre. - [Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE)](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-polyethylene-ldpe-lldpe/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE). - [Polypropylene](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-polypropylene/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on polypropylene. - [Starch and cellulose derivatives](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-starch-and-cellulose-derivatives/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on starch and cellulose derivatives. - [Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-steel/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on steel. - [Timber](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-timber/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on timber. - [Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-water/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on water. ## Other sections - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/price-links/index.md) - [Example story](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/story/index.md) - [Linked industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/linked-industries/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/ecommerce/sources/index.md)