STATE OF E-COMMERCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

: The COVID-19 pandemic set new rules for engagement, ba-sically limiting the physical contact of individuals. As the world was entering lockdown, this showed as an opportunity for digital activities, such as e-commerce, to grow exponentially as the sole method for purchasing products and services in this period. The paper focuses on three different types of e-com - merce activities, business-to-business, business-to-commerce and m-commerce, analyzing their state before and during the pandemic years. National economies of developed and countries in transition are also analyzed, to show the growth of e-commerce in various settings. Special focus is placed on the country of North Macedonia, as an economy in transition, and the levels of acceptance of e-commerce from 2017 on-wards. Data from the research shows that the steady rise of e-commerce in the country is accelerated in pandemic years, however total level of GMV is still below developed countries. Companies that haven’t adapted to digital activities can be left behind, as the whole world is shifting based on the pandemic response. The research shows several relevant conclusions, such as the expected rise of B2B e-commerce as the primary method of purchasing on a company level, as well as the enormous impact of m-commerce sales that is expected after pandemic years.