Brazil’s E-Commerce Climbed 23.7 percent in 2003

Electronic retail shopping in Brazil topped $1.8 billion in 2003, up 23.7 percent from 2002, according to stats tabbed by E-Consulting, a specialized consulting office, and revealed by the Brazilian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (BCEC).

In 2003, 3.4 million Brazilians shopped online, with 1.7 million new e-customers buying items on the Web for the first time. “This figure accounts for a 19.5 percent of the total 17.4 million netizens in the country, a clear indication that this trend is on the rise,” BCEC Chairman Cid Torquato said.

Out of the total volume of online purchases in 2003, 62.1 percent corresponds to car buyers, 28.9 percent to other items and 8.7 to leisure travelers.

”Car dealers are by far the most sensitive dot-coms to the country’s macroeconomics,” said Daniel Domeneghetti, Strategy Director for E-Consulting.

“The sector expects to rake in bigger revenues this year after a somewhat dormant 2003 for the Brazilian economy,” added Carlos Sulzer, Sales and E-Business Director for General Motors of Brazil.

E-Consulting foresees a mighty 60 percent increase in travel e-commerce all through 2004.