S�o Paulo performed host last Saturday to Forum E-Commerce Brasil, getting together 1,200 e-commerce professionals from companies for example Wal-Mart, eBay, Google and BuscaP�. The big event, referred to because the biggest Latin American conference about them, reflects the development of e-commerce in South america and also the region.

E-commerce in South america: An increasing market

27.4 million Brazilians have previously bought services or goods online, from a population of 190 million. This is among the statistics you'll find inside a study released through the research firm e-bit, which is an expert in e-commerce data and it has belonged to shopping online comparison platform BuscaP� since 2007. Known as WebShoppers, the research may be the twenty-4th available. In the latest edition, it observed reasonable development of e-commerce. The sector produced R$8.4 billion (US$5.2 billion) within the first 1 / 2 of 2011, a rise of 24% in comparison towards the same period this year, and most the entire figure for 2008.

This is not nearly volume though, e-commerce has additionally acquired new customers. Four million Brazilians made a web-based transaction the very first time throughout the very first 1 / 2 of 2011. 61% of those new newcomers possess a monthly earnings that is less than R$3000 (US$1,870). Which means that e-commerce isn't just reaching the elite, using the middle minimizing classes beginning to look online too. Based on many experts, websites will have to adjust to this new reality and know very well what these new business want.

Fueled with a fast-growing middle-class, there s pointless why e-commerce won t keep growing in South america. Based on e-bit s Marketing and Product Director Alexandre Umberti, cited through the Brazilian blog Startupi, this is expected that 32 million Brazilians may have used e-commerce at least one time through the finish of 2011. Overall market figures for 2011 should bond with R$18.7 billion (US$11.6 billion).

What customers want

What exactly do Brazilians order online Typically the most popular groups reflect the requirements of South america s new middle-class:

  • Home home appliances (13%)
  • IT (12%)
  • Health/beauty/drugs (11%)
  • Books and magazine monthly subscriptions (8%)
  • Electronics (6%)

The truth that everybody is obtaining computer systems along with other IT-related items on the internet is interesting, because it should consequently continue fueling e-commerce growth.

Social commerce, a trend to look at

We ve already�reported about the recognition of daily deals websites in South america, and social commerce could soon become another interesting trend. Knowing the significance of internet sites in South america, there s little question that f-commerce and so forth could play a crucial role within the ongoing development of e-commerce in the united states. A couple of online companies are the main thing on this trend, and LikeStore is one. This platform helps people and firms to setup a store on Facebook because of an application. It already competes concentrating on the same services for example Novelo, another Brazilian startup which presently takes part within the Start-Up Chile acceleration program.

Security concerns

Regardless of this steady growth and engaging perspectives, many Brazilians still avoid e-commerce sites because of security concerns. The same thing goes for Internet banking. From the 26% of participants within the study who didn t make use of this service, 58% asserted that it felt unsafe. This will probably alternation in the mid-term as customers be acquainted with Internet an internet-based safety. Besides, e-shopping sites as well as their partners will also be scheming to make them feel much more comfortable from the security perspective.

Meanwhile, South america is promoting middle-of-the-road solutions. One of these may be the boleto bancario , a little slip that clients can print and pay in a bank. This is a type of option, which will help to resolve the issue that lots of customers do not possess a charge card.

However it s not nearly the boleto even firms that sell virtual goods offer offline having to pay options. This is actually the situation from the social gaming developer Vostu, which lately closed a partnership for any whopping 150,000 physical points of purchase (from newspaper kiosks to cyber caf�s) to provide credits for his or her games.

The requirement for qualified talent

South america s e-commerce s growth means this is also creating jobs. Talent within the sector is in�demand, as e-commerce still is affected with deficiencies in qualified employees. Almost two-thirds from the online retailers interviewed had hired staff throughout the final six several weeks, and 79% of individuals complained that candidates didn t meet their pre-requirements. E-bit is marketing its cause here, as BuscaP� developed its offering to reply to the sector s interest in trained staff. Indeed, e-bit s parent company lately released a web-based training and certification program known as Universidade BuscaP�.�BuscaP� College targets would-be e-commerce professionals attracted through the many job possibilities the offers. In the finish during the day, it will lead towards the sector s growth: coping with competent staff will improve client satisfaction, that could ultimately lead to more sales.

What is your opinion Exactly what does Brazilian e-commerce must flourish