Abstract

In thin markets shaped by poverty and gendered constraints, digital tools offer new opportunities for subsistence women entrepreneurs (SWEs). This study examines how digital training in financial literacy, social media, and mobile technologies influences enterprise outcomes and whether last-mile third-party logistics (TPL) enhances these effects. Drawing on a mixed-method design, we combine administrative banking data from 412 SWEs, followed by in-depth field interviews in Raigad, India. Results show digital adoption alone yields modest gains, but when paired with TPL, it leads to significant increases in monthly balances. Qualitative findings highlight mechanisms such as market access, trust, and delivery efficiency. We reconceptualise TPL as a socio-technical enabler that helps translate digital participation into meaningful income gains for SWEs.

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