Online sales likely to beat physical this Christmas in Brazil

Online shopping is likely to grow and become the country's main means of trade for Christmas this year. The forecast can be found in a survey released today (Nov. 8) by Brazilian credit reporting agency SPC.

The survey was conducted in all of the country's 27 state capitals, and found that 40% of shoppers plan to buy presents online. Of this amount, 54% said they intend to buy more than half of the gifts on the internet. The figure indicates that online sales are likely to exceed physical shopping, estimated this year to total 37%.

In 2016, physical commercial centers, like malls, accounted for 41% of Christmas sales, whereas online trade added up to 32%.

On the choice of place of shopping, 58% of consumers said they based their decision on price, 50% on deals and special offers, 27% product diversity, and 20% service.

In the opinion of SPC chief-economist Marcela Kwauti, the growth of online shopping is a trend likely to exert pressure on physical stores and fight for the preference of shoppers. “This was bound to happen, as a result of the crisis—or even if there was no crisis. The internet has played an increasingly prominent role, and there's no going back,” she pointed out.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira