On May 14, Colombia celebrates the Mother’s Day, so Colombians prepare their gifts, lunches and entertainment. In addition to being a date on which Colombian families meet to celebrate mothers, it is also expected to be a positive day for Internet sales. That awaits the Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CCCE), which projects sales to increase by 15%. From phenalco project a growth of 24% in sales in traditional commerce
According to the CCCCthe Colombians, from the beginning of the pandemic by the covid-19, they turned to the online shoppingmaking the electronic commerce it is no longer something distant, but a modality that stayed to stay. They also warn that consumers are increasingly opting for personalized gifts, such as engraved jewelry or handcrafted products.
The most popular e-commerce platforms in the country are Free market, line, falabella and Amazon. While the products that have searched the most, for Mother’s Day, are: flowers, clothing, perfumes, and electronic products such as: tablets and smartphones, personal care items, and even household products.
For Nicolas Gomezmarketing expert and coordinator of the Digital Marketing Program of executive education of the Faculty of Administration of the University of the Andeselectronic commerce in Colombia is growing dynamically, because if it has experienced significant growth in recent years, it has recently experienced a substantial slowdown.
“E-commerce in the country continues to increase, unlike other sectors, the growing banking dynamics and the high level of logistics have been two definitive factors. Before, markets such as personal care registered annual growth above 135%, currently they register up to 20%”, he says.
He also pointed out that there is another actor that has begun to gain ground: social commerce, which combines online shopping with the management of social networks. And he warns that this new form of electronic commerce is transforming the way companies interact with their customers.
Experts recommend the following as good practices when making online purchases:
- Review comments: A social media profile with good comments and in known languages is trustworthy. Ideally, it should not have reviews in Russian or Mandarin.
- Direct contact with the seller: When you want to make a purchase, contact the seller through chat or messages. This must answer within a period not exceeding 3 days and must be formal.
- Require electronic invoice: Usually, fake profiles do not issue electronic invoices, which could be interpreted as a false profile.
- Third Party References: Find and contact other buyers who know about the product.
- Check Followers: Followers and their names are an important point to keep in mind.
According to a survey conducted by the National Federation of Business Merchants (Fenalco)85% of Colombians responded that they will celebrate Mother’s Day and that they will allocate, the majority (65%), among $50,000 and $200,000 to buy the gift for the occasion. So they project a 24% increase in salesnot just next Sunday, but throughout May.
The results of the survey, which was carried out in the main cities of the country, indicate that this year 31% of those surveyed want to share a special lunch or dinner, although, indisputably, clothing, footwear and leather products will continue as the items most purchased by children. This was confirmed by 28% of those surveyed.
Meanwhile, 15% of the Colombians surveyed will give away cash or purchase vouchers, 12% technological devices and 10% perfumery and cosmetics. There is 9% who want to give different gifts, such as trips, concert tickets, books and subscriptions to the gym, among others.
