Rural E-Commerce and Digital Platforms for Entrepreneurship: A Case Study in Northeast China

Rural e-commerce is a key driver of poverty alleviation and entrepreneurship in China. This study examines how Wuchang Taobao Village (WCTV) uses digital platforms to enhance livelihoods, guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) expanded with digital capital. A qualitative case study combines documentary analysis and consumer interviews. Findings show that digital platforms help WCTV mobilize natural, social, and digital assets, strengthen branding, and improve market access, thereby raising incomes, fostering entrepreneurship, and expanding social networks. However, weak human capital, financial constraints, and limited replicability remain challenges. The study contributes by extending SLF to the digital era and offering policy lessons on localization, product differentiation, and talent retention for rural e-commerce in underdeveloped regions.