Any international merchant would dream of hitting the jackpot in a major internet market such as Brazil. Even though the economy has been sluggish for several reasons, e-commerce in Brazil grew by an average of 15% in 2017 and online customers spent more than US$ 2 billion on international websites. A total of 22.4 million Brazilians purchased from international websites in 2017, which represented a growth of 6% compared with the previous year. We have already portrayed the situation of Brazilian e-commerce scenario in this infographic, but we will now highlight just how these consumers buy online.
Balancing local payment methods and the best sales features – such as competitive pricing – is the key! According to the 37th Webshoppers´ report, Brazilian customers believe that buying on international e-commerce sites is a great option for better prices. Their main focus is cheaper products, even if this means waiting longer to receive their purchases.
According to fourth edition of PayPal/Ipsos´ report, free shipping, safe payment processes, prompt delivery, lower prices and paying in local currency (the Brazilian Real – Brazil’s official currency) are the main features really appreciated by Brazilian consumers. These consumers’ median age range is 42 years, and most of these consumers are located in the southeast of the country (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states).
Special dates and seasons should also be taken into consideration when selling online in Brazil. The very same study shows that the biggest date to concentrate efforts is Black Friday, followed by Christmas, Mother’s Day (celebrated on the second Sunday of May) and Children’s Day (October 12th). Father’s Day and Easter are the least interesting dates for Brazilian online customers.
Webshoppers´ study also confirmed that the main categories of products purchased through international websites are:
The credit card remains the preferred means of payment used by Brazilian consumers. Webshoppers´ report concluded that 64% of all Brazilian consumers used this form of payment on their last purchase in 2017.
Offering installments in credit card transactions is important when dealing with Brazilian consumers. According to a report released by the Brazilian Credit Protection Service (Serviço de Proteção ao Crédito – SPC), 65% of consumers in Brazil prefer to pay in installments.
Finally, one must also mention boleto, an unique payment method that only exists in Brazil. Some 4 billion boletos are issued in the country every year, being processed/regulated by the Brazilian Bank Federation (Febraban) and the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil – BACEN). The main reason for the popularity of this payment method is that it allows e-commerce businesses to be accessible to buyers who do not have a bank account. BoaCompra’s portfolio not only includes this popular local payment method but also offers several other solutions for your international business.