This　paper　seeks　to　investigate　the　relationship　between　e-commerce　and　total　factor　productivity　(TFP)　at　the　manufacturing　firm　level.　Using　data　of　178　A-share　listed　companies　in　China　during　the　period　from　2015　to　2021,　the　article　empirically　tests　the　questions　of　whether　and　how　e-commerce　used　directly　by　manufacturing　firms　can　boost　their　productivity　growth.　The　result　shows　that　the　penetration　of　e-commerce　in　manufacturing　has　a　positive　and　significant　effect　on　TFP　growth.　It　is　also　found　that　the　spillovers　of　intra-firm　human　capital　and　the　effect　of　inter-firm　market　competition　both　play　a　crucial　role　in　linking　e-commerce　to　firm-level　TFP　growth.　Specifically,　e-commerce　is　beneficial　to　driving　TFP　growth　significantly　through　attracting　high-quality　rather　than　low-quality　human　capital　accumulating　in　manufacturing　firms,　as　well　as　through　improving　appropriately　market　concentration　rather　than　increasing　the　intensity　of　market　competition.　This　article　contributes　to　the　existing　literature　by　exploring　the　productivity-driving　force　of　manufacturing　firms　which　face　transformation　from　a　focus　on　the　production　to　the　marketing　chain　within　the　context　of　online　business.　It　also　provides　policy　applications　how　to　improve　the　TFP　of　manufacturing　firms　through　the　use　of　digital　platforms.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2023.