. At a time of rapid technological change and shifting consumer landscapes, "Online Retail and Space. A Geographical Perspective on Retail" offers a timely analysis of the merging of digital commerce and geographical spaces. This book examines how e-commerce is redefining and reorganizing traditional concepts of market, place and accessibility, and the spatial implications of these developments for cities and rural areas. The contributions in this volume range from digital platforms to consumer patterns and urban planning and offer important insights into the geographical dimensions of e-commerce. It addresses researchers, practitioners, students and decision-makers alike. Both theoretical and practical approaches are covered to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Concrete examples and innovative solutions are presented through case studies and empirical research.

. The article examines how digital platforms are drawing on existing physical infrastructures and are increasingly actively intervening in their planning, financing and operation - a process known as “platform-led infrastructuralization”. The example of e-commerce and logistics is used to show how platforms strategically shape physical spaces in order to expand their power in the digital and analogue space and create central control points. This fundamentally changes the understanding of platforms: they are not only virtual actors, but also significantly shape the material world, which opens up new perspectives for economic geography research.

. Using Alibaba as an example, the study examines how digital platforms in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, are contributing to the emergence and implementation of Digital Free Trade Zones (DFTZs), thereby changing economic framework conditions and geographical structures. DFTZs are understood as the digital evolution of special economic zones in which platforms enable cross-border e-commerce and new ecosystems by linking digital and physical infrastructures. The work shows that platforms are not only technological actors, but also exert geopolitical influence by helping to shape trade policy and create new economic dependencies.

. The study examines how cooperation between digital platforms and municipalities takes place and is legitimized. It looks at the “eBay Deine Stadt” initiative, which establishes local online marketplaces to support brick-and-mortar retail. Based on interviews with municipal stakeholders and a survey of retailers, the study shows mixed results of the initiative and emphasizes the role of cities in presenting platforms as solution providers for urban challenges. It becomes clear that there is often a lack of strategic planning and that urban actors contribute to the legitimization of platformization by supporting platforms institutionally and publicly.

. The article examines the Digital Free Trade Zones (DFTZs) established in Malaysia and Thailand as examples of state-supported platformization in the e-commerce and logistics sector. Based on interviews, the background to their establishment and their impact on trade and logistics are examined. In particular, Alibaba's role as a global player and political instrument for regional economic development is emphasized.

. The article takes a critical look at the idea that digital platforms such as Google or Amazon can solve urban and economic problems by overcoming spatial barriers and making processes more efficient. Based on extensive empirical data, the concept of the “platform fix” is developed, which shows how platforms offer spatial solutions, but often create new dependencies and leave fundamental problems unaddressed. The article is based on almost 80 interviews with representatives from municipalities, retailers, institutions, digitalization initiatives, independent designers and industry experts as well as two standardized retailer surveys with a total of 200 participating companies. The study also includes online monitoring of Instagram activities in fashion retail as well as media analysis (including websites, social media, promotional videos) and participant observation (webinars).

. The article examines the “eBay Deine Stadt” initiative, which sets up local online marketplaces to support inner-city retail in the course of digital structural change. Based on interviews with a participating consulting firm and municipal stakeholders, initial experiences, expectations and points of criticism are analyzed. The focus is on eBay's role as an infrastructure provider and the associated challenges and effects on the future development of city centers.