The eCommerce Gap: Why Rural Jamaica Is Being Left Behind Online

Author: Teron Brown | Date: May 2025

While eCommerce is growing in urban Jamaica, rural communities are being left behind due to limited access to logistics, low digital literacy, and a lack of localized online services. We analyzed all 14 parishes in Jamaica and found staggering disparities in digital commerce infrastructure. This is the first report of its kind—and a call to action.

Jamaica’s Digital Divide: A Parish-by-Parish Breakdown

We studied 200+ Jamaican online stores and delivery networks, comparing service availability, search engine visibility, payment accessibility, and logistics support across all parishes. The findings highlight a stark urban vs. rural gap.

Parish	Online Store Access	Delivery Coverage	Mobile Data Availability	Digital Literacy (Est.)
Kingston	High	Full	Excellent	High
St. Andrew	High	Full	Excellent	High
St. Catherine	Medium	Partial	Good	Medium
St. James	Medium	Partial	Good	Medium
Manchester	Low	Minimal	Moderate	Low
Clarendon	Low	Minimal	Moderate	Low
St. Ann	Medium	Partial	Good	Medium
St. Elizabeth	Low	Minimal	Moderate	Low
Trelawny	Low	Minimal	Fair	Low
St. Mary	Low	Minimal	Fair	Low
St. Thomas	Very Low	Minimal	Fair	Low
Portland	Very Low	Minimal	Poor	Very Low
Hanover	Low	Minimal	Fair	Low
Westmoreland	Low	Minimal	Moderate	Low

Key Findings

• 87% of online stores in Jamaica serve only the top 5 parishes.
• Over 50% of parishes lack access to reliable delivery services.
• Digital literacy rates are 3x higher in Kingston and St. Andrew than in parishes like Portland or St. Thomas.

What’s Holding Rural Jamaica Back?

Based on interviews with business owners, delivery drivers, and residents, we identified several core issues:

• Delivery Logistics: Lack of infrastructure in hilly or remote regions.
• Online Payment Barriers: Many rural customers still rely on cash or remittance-based income.
• Digital Illiteracy: Limited experience using eCommerce platforms or even search engines.

Spotlight: Portland vs. Kingston

In Portland, fewer than 5% of local businesses have any online presence. Compare that to Kingston, where digital-first brands are rapidly gaining market share.

What Needs to Happen Now

1. Local Government Investment: in broadband, mobile coverage, and delivery incentives.
2. Digital Literacy Campaigns: especially targeting rural entrepreneurs and youth.
3. Micro eCommerce Hubs: set up drop-off/pick-up locations in underserved towns.

There’s Opportunity in the Gap

Brands that begin solving for rural delivery, mobile-first design, or cash-on-delivery options have an open market to capture. With 40% of the population outside metro areas, this is a sleeping giant in the Jamaican digital economy.

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Sources & References

• Statista: Mobile Device Traffic in Jamaica
• Jamaica Post ICT Indicators 2023
• Parish Profiles: Ministry of Local Government
• Independent survey of 200+ Jamaican-based businesses (April–May 2025)

If citing this report, please credit shopsalesja.com with a link to this post.

Written by: Teron Brown | Founder, Shop Sales Ja

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