The few studies in South American developing countries that refer to the adoption of e-commerce in SMEs require knowledge of how this context is presented. The objective of this study addresses this need and seeks to determine the variables that influence the adoption of e-commerce in SMEs in Colombia. The measurement tool (IMAES) was applied using a digital questionnaire; 263 surveys were collected in SMEs and the data were analysed using the partial least squares methodology, validating tool and model. The results found that Colombian SMEs adopt e-commerce because of pressure from senior management, performance expectations, the competitive advantage it offers, and pressure from their customers. This is one of the first studies in the region that empirically analyses the adoption of e-commerce, as well as describing the theoretical framework for this line of research. © 2021 Baltic Journal of Modern Computing. All rights reserved.