Bibliometric Mapping of 19 Years of Research Literature on E-commerce: Insights on Consumer Experience, Perception, and Loyalty in Rural Areas

This article presents a bibliometric analysis which examines the academic landscape surrounding consumer experience, perception, and loyalty toward e-commerce in rural regions. Utilising VOSviewer and Biblioshiny (R-based Bibliometrix package), the analysis maps were developed towards scholarly contributions or publication trends, co-authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrences, and thematic developments. An aggregate of 758 articles published between 2007 and 2025 (including articles or publications indexed in Scopus up to June 2025) was extracted from the Scopus database and analysed. The findings reveal a rapid rise in global e-commerce research, particularly after 2020, highlighting key themes such as trust, digital inclusion, and mobile commerce. However, the analysis also exposes a critical gap—while rural e-commerce is frequently referenced, much of the scholarship remains urban-centric, with limited engagement with rural-specific challenges, which includes; Digital divide (limited connectivity and digital literacy), trust deficits (frauds concerns and reliance on cash-on-delivery), cultural and linguistic barriers (vernacular access and traditional buying practices), and logistical constraints (last-mile delivery and infrastructure gaps). Therefore, underscoring the need for context-specific integration of socio-cultural, infrastructural and behavioural factors is required. This article also identifies influential authors, institutions, and future research directions, providing a robust foundation for further academic exploration, policy interventions and practical application aimed at promoting inclusive digital commerce ecosystems in underserved regions.