E-commerce sees double-digit growth during pandemic

E-commerce sales rose nationwide in Brazil during March, with a large part of the population isolating at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The increase in purchases was identified by the MCC-ENET market index, measured by the Brazilian Electronic Commerce Chamber and market research firm Compre&Confie. 

Brazil’s Southeast — the country’s richest and most economically dynamic region — saw a 22.4 percent boost in e-commerce sales in March, compared to the previous month. Sales in the Center-West grew 18.7%, 18.3% in the Northeast, 16% in the North, and 13.8% in the South. 

Meanwhile, compared to the same period in 2019, sales in the Southeast jumped an astonishing 49.5 percent. According to André Dias, the executive director of Compre&Confie, the steeper increase in the region may be explained by the tougher self-isolation measures applied in cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the municipalities with the most Covid-19 cases in Brazil. 

“With the pandemic having a severe effect on the Southeast, e-commerce has become the only alternative for many sectors of the Brazilian economy, which adds to the growth in comparison to other regions of Brazil,” said Mr. Dias, in a press statement. He added that now is an opportune time to invest in e-commerce for unexplored niches such as non-durable goods.

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