The Influence of Big Data Analytics on E-Commerce: Case Study of the U.S. and China

Big data analytics (BDA) is a wide and deep application in e-commerce, which impacts positively on the global economy, especially the U.S. and China who have done well. This paper seeks to examine the relative influence of theoretical research and practical activities of BDA in e-commerce to explain the differences between the U.S. and China according to the two main literature databases, Web of Science and CNKI, respectively, and by employing other samples that present retail e-commerce sales and the number of some data companies founded in the U.S. and China each year. We further determine the reasons leading to the difference between the U.S. and China in BDA in e-commerce, which can help managers devise appropriate business strategies in e-commerce for each of them, and provide a proof of the significant relationship of theoretical research and practical activities in BDA in e-commerce. In addition, the variables related to big data companies show a moderation effect rather than mediating effect relative to the practice of theoretical research in e-commerce in the United States, but they show a moderate effect and mediating effects in China. The results of this study help clarify doubts regarding the development of China’s e-commerce. Moreover, three orientations in e-commerce using BDA and the use of quantum computing in e-commerce to solve existing e-commerce problems are explored to provide better evidence for decision-making that could be valuable in future research.