Six Billion Shoppers: The Companies Winning the Global E-Commerce Boom by Porter Erisman is a book that I have underlined generously. This book is an interesting look into e-commerce in various continents. Great comparisons along with reasons for different companies and their working principle. You will learn a lot about Alibaba, ebay, Taobao, Tmall, Tokopedia, Flipkart, Snapdeal and their founders.
You even venture into Europe to find out about what Rocket Ventures does.
It answered questions like what buying a Seiko watch in US meant for my dad, why Amazon chose Seattle and many more all things related to ecommerce.

E-commerce is still an emerging and changing activity, even though it feels to have been present ‘for ever’ – and for many it has! Some countries are ahead of others with this activity, yet even those who are catching-up are finding new and often different opportunities that may be something for the established markets and their participants to consider.

So this is a great, thoughtful book that gives a lot to the reader, since very few – if any – can really keep track of everything that is happening in this rapidly-developing super-activity. Focussing on the developing markets – those following on from the earlier adopters of e-commerce – it is especially interesting to discover how they are copying both winning formulas created with the blood, sweat, tears and lost money of investors, as well as making their own developments too, often in response to challenging and demanding local situations. Take an educational trip through Africa, Asia and Latin America with the author, getting some of the latest intelligence and consider what impact it may have on western brands. If you thought there was a big impact on western markets with e-commerce, this may pale into insignificance when the rest-of-the-world gets addicted to it!

You do not have to have ‘skin in the game’ to enjoy this book. Even a curious shopper could get a lot of enjoyment out of its easy-to-read, accessible and ultra-informative text. It can serve many audiences well. Now, the author? Clearly he is someone who knows his onions, having been involved with a certain company called Alibaba that may be familiar to some, being a senior executive at the company during much of its formative and expansive years (he has also previously written an excellent book about his time there too).

Make no mistake. This is not a reference book per se. It does not cover each country equally nor does it set out to faithfully record every e-commerce company and bit of information. It does, however, provide an excellent and detailed overview of the growing ‘developing e-commerce world’ and compares and contrasts its activities to those already undertaken by sector pioneers.

It is a very thoughtful, considered work that is highly recommended.

Six Billion Shoppers, written by Porter Erisman and published by St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 9781250088673. YYYYY