Comerç electrònic a Malta

E-commerce

E-commerce market

E-commerce was slow to develop in Malta but it has evolved rapidly. According to the 2017 European Ecommerce Report, e-commerce sales were worth about EUR 39.6 million in 2017 (0.47% of GDP), which represented a growth rate of 15%. In 2014, the Government launched the Malta e-Commerce Digital Strategy, covering a seven year period until 2020 and aimed at ensuring that businesses have the necessary means and skills to capitalise on opportunities brought about by e-commerce. In 2017, 64% of Internet users have purchased goods or services online. Online buying is more popular with women than men, as 82% of female Internet users are e-shoppers, while 75% of male Internet users make purchses online. 80% of e-commerce users prefer to conclude their online purchases using a desktop or laptop computer. Paypal is the preferred method of payment (80%), followed by credit card (65%), debit card (16%) and cash on delivery (6%). 26% of digital buyers spend between EUR 500 and EUR 1500 in a year. Only 2% spend more than EUR 3000. While Maltese customers still prefer traditional shopping, microenterprises, SMEs and large businesses have realised the potential benefits of digital technologies. A study carried by the Malta Communications Authority shows that the internet is often the first resource for consumers wishing to gather information before making a purchase in-store or online, and 70% of internet users research products before buying them. Malta is the second best performing EU Member State for sales via electronic data interchange. Clothing and sporting goods are the most commonly acquired cross-border item category. The most popular countries among Maltese digital shoppers are the UK, followed by China and the United States. However, only a third of digital buyers purchase from domestic websites. The main reasons for not buying online from local websites are less competitive prices than those on foreign websites and limited choice of products. The top e-commerce Malta websites are theweddingsite.com (weddings), dealtoday.com.mt (tickets), klikk.com.mt (consumer electronics) and missguided.eu (clothing). Amazon remains the leading e-commerce platform, according to Enterprise Europe Network.