Responding to COVID‐19 Through Cross‐Border E‐Commerce: Evidence From Millions of De Minimis Import Orders From China

Kai Liu, Hong Ma, Shuzhong Ma and Gangjian Pan

Review of International Economics, 2025, vol. 33, issue 4, 933-950

Abstract: This study examines the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on cross‐border e‐commerce, specifically focusing on small package purchases (i.e., the de minimis) imported by US commuting zones. Utilizing a large dataset of online orders across various commuting zones, we find that regions more severely affected by the pandemic experienced a greater increase in online purchases. Furthermore, there was significant regional variation in response to the pandemic, driven by demographic factors, initial economic conditions, and political attitudes towards China. In terms of product categories, consumers responded more elastically to personal protective equipment and products in which China has a comparative advantage. We also find that the effects of COVID‐19 on de minimis online orders were long‐lasting, persisting for nearly twenty weeks.

Date: 2025
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