Informal SMEs with E-commerce Platforms in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-779-8_11How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Informality; MSMEs; e-commerce; digitization; Oaxaca

Abstract

The informal economy is a structural phenomenon in developing countries, particularly in the context of economic and health crises that have intensified labor market vulnerabilities and accelerated changes in entrepreneurial behavior. This research aims to analyze the behavior of the informal sector in the state of Oaxaca during the period 2021–2025, as well as the emergence of informal micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that incorporated e-commerce platforms as an adaptation strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed a quantitative approach, with a descriptive-analytical scope and a non-experimental, retrospective longitudinal design, utilizing secondary sources such as the National Statistical Directory of Economic Units (DENUE) and data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Spatial analysis using QGIS software was conducted to identify territorial patterns and the geographic distribution of informal economic activities across the state. The results reveal an increase in the number of informal MSMEs during the analyzed period, accompanied by a growing adoption of digital marketing strategies and online commercial channels, particularly in retail trade and service activities. Although these economic units continue to exhibit structural limitations associated with informality, including restricted access to institutional support, financing, and social protection, they also demonstrate a significant capacity for adaptation through the incorporation of digital technologies into their business operations. The findings indicate that digital transformation has strengthened the resilience and commercial reach of informal enterprises without necessarily promoting their transition toward formality. It is concluded that informality, rather than disappearing, is being reconfigured through digitalization processes, generating new challenges and opportunities for public policy, business formalization, regional development, and the long-term sustainability of MSMEs in emerging economies.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this license to share adapted material derived from this chapter or parts of it.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Ana Luz Ramos Soto
AU  - Beatriz Rebeca Hernández Hernández
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
TI  - Informal SMEs with E-commerce Platforms in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico
BT  - Proceedings of the International Congress on Competitiveness and Development of MSMEs 2026 (ICCD-MSMEs 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 178
EP  - 194
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-779-8_11
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-779-8_11
ID  - Soto2026
ER  -