Transformación del comportamiento del consumidor ecuatoriano y estrategias de e-commerce más efectivas para las empresas del sector comercial de Cuenca

Abstract

This study analyzed the behavior of Ecuadorian consumers and e-commerce strategies in the commercial sector of Cuenca. Using a mixed methodology surveys of 384 consumers and interviews with five companies with active digital presence consumption patterns were identified and a model adapted to the local context was proposed. The results indicate that 60% of online shoppers are young people between 18 and 25 years old, 88.1% made digital purchases in the last year, and 52.2% primarily buy clothing and accessories. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the habits of 42.6% of respondents, boosting digital transactions. The companies achieved between 15% and 50% of their sales online, relying on social media, personalization, and trust-building strategies. The study concludes that e-commerce is consolidating as a key channel in Cuenca, highlighting the importance of multichannel strategies, payment diversification, and competitive pricing with differentiated added value.