Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on Rural E-Commerce Development in Baoding: An Empirical Study Based on Village-Level Service Station Data

Abstract

Utilizing data from 5,481 village-level service stations (VS) in Baoding, China, this study empirically investigates the impact of digital inclusive finance (DIF) and VS infrastructure on rural e-commerce (RE) development. Results demonstrate that DIF significantly promotes RE by reducing transaction and financing costs (β = 0.783, P < 0.01). VS as physical infrastructure significantly drives RE growth (β = 0.654, P < 0.01). Crucially, DIF and VS exhibit synergistic effects (interaction β = 0.421, P < 0.01), producing a “1+1>2” enhancement. Regional economic development, population density, and education levels positively influence RE. Current challenges include financial misallocation, infrastructure deficits, and skill gaps. We propose a “One Core, Three Wings” framework—Core: Develop tailored financial products for specialty industries (luggage, textiles, mushrooms); Wings: (1) Upgrade digital infrastructure, (2) Optimize policy synergy, (3) Enhance inclusive capacity through elderly-friendly technologies and training. Implementation strategies include establishing risk-sharing mechanisms, expanding VS functionality, and creating DIF-RE-VS alliances to foster sustainable rural revitalization.