This study examines the emergence of business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce from new niche formation, creative destruction, and contingency perspectives. Based on multiretail-sector data, this study supports the contingency perspective. The findings suggest that in digitally related sectors, B2C e-commerce has emerged through a creative destruction process whereby B2C e-commerce expands at the expense of traditional retailing; thus, addressing the e-commerce trend becomes traditional firms’ strategic imperative. Conversely, in digitally unrelated sectors, B2C e-commerce has emerged through a new niche formation process whereby B2C e-commerce coexists with traditional retailing; thus, embracing the e-commerce trend becomes the traditional firms’ strategic choice.
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