Racial bias on e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia and Latin America

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of a product model’s race on market outcomes using data from the multinational online shopping platform Shopee. By analyzing consumer preferences across eight countries/regions in Southeast Asia and Latin America, the research aims to uncover potential racial biases in Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce. I found that in Asian countries, in-group preference is associated with positive market outcomes, with Asian models associated with 14.86% more likes than White models (p < 0.001). Conversely, in Latin America, there is a notable negative bias toward products featuring Black models. Additionally, the results reveal a preference for White models for higher-priced products, which correlates with increased likes and sales in both Asia and Latin America. These findings offer critical insights into racial bias in B2C e-commerce platforms, highlighting the need for more inclusive marketing strategies.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	Han ZHANG (Supervisor)