Brazil Leads Online Sales in Latin America and Ranks 10th in the World

By Richard Mann, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Online sales in Brazil in the first quarter 2019 grew 14 percent and totaled R$17 billion (US$4.25 billion), according to data from Compre&Confie, a digital security company created by ClearSale.

These figures confirm Brazil’s lead in online sales in Latin America and 10th in the world ranking.

This increase is expected to continue as projections for 2019 show online sales reaching R$74.8 billion, a growth of 21 percent in relation to 2018.

In all, 174 thousand online purchases are expected, with an average cost of R$429.63 each, an increase of 18 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

For Executive Director of Compre&Confie, André Dias, the consumer is more familiar with online shopping and today seeks to purchase items that go beyond their basic needs.

Between January and March, there was a 35 percent increase in the number of consumers, which reached 12.9 million.

The average amount spent by each consumer during the analyzed period also increased by 14 percent from R$1,036 to R$1,180. The average purchase amounted to R$427 and, on average, consumers made three purchases per quarter.

Fashion and Accessories Orders Come in First Place 

The Fashion and Accessories segment represents the largest share of orders, with 19.5 percent, followed by Entertainment (11.8 percent) and Telecommunications (10.4 percent).

In terms of billings Telecommunication comes in first place with 25.6 percent, followed by Household Appliances and Ventilation, with 13.3 percent, and Entertainment, with 12.3 percent.

All analyzed categories registered an overall increase, with Fashion and Accessories accounting for the highest recorded growth in the period, with 1.4 percent.

On the other hand, the Telecommunications segment decreased by 2.3 percent in the quarter.

“Even with the decline in this period, the sector recorded a 20 percent increase in the average purchase. Consumers are strengthening their relationship with operators by acquiring more services with these companies instead of searching for new offers from competitors,” explains Dias.

Women were responsible for 53.1 percent of purchases made in the first quarter, but men spent more by purchasing more expensive items, such as electronics and phones, with an average purchase amount of R$490.

The average age of buyers is 37 years. The largest concentration is in the Southeast and South regions, which totaled about 83 percent of e-commerce purchase share.