--- title: The evolution of Colombian e-commerce - BoaCompra description: BoaCompra helps international businesses access local payments in Latin America and is fully integrated with PagSeguro/PagBank's ecosystem. image: https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Banner-Blog1-May-30-2022-03-05-25-73-PM.jpg --- [![PagSeguro_logo-332x41_CS_blog](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PagSeguro_logo-332x41_CS_blog.png?width=220&height=31&name=PagSeguro_logo-332x41_CS_blog.png "PagSeguro_logo-332x41_CS_blog")](https://international.pagseguro.com) Payments The evolution of Colombian e-commerce BoaCompra helps international businesses access local payments in Latin America and is fully integrated with PagSeguro/PagBank's ecosystem. ![The evolution of Colombian e-commerce](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Banner-Blog1-May-30-2022-03-05-25-73-PM.jpg) January 8, 2020 *E-commerce in Colombia has seen rapid growth and rapid change over the last few years**. We look at everything international e-commerce merchants need to know to tap into this evolving market.*  **Introduction**  Colombia, as anyone who has visited in the last few years will tell you, is a rapidly changing country. A recent study by the Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CCCE) reports that [9 out of 10 internet users](https://www.observatorioecommerce.com.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/estudio-consumo-ecommerce-colombia-observatorio-2019.pdf) above the age of 15 now engage in some sort of e-commerce activities. [As we have written previously](https://boacompra.com/en/blog/colombias-e-commerce-continues-to-show-a-promising-growth), this is translating to an ever-growing e-commerce market in the country. In total, Colombia saw a [27.1%](https://www.statista.com/statistics/880469/online-shopping-growth-rate-latin-america/) increase in online shopping in 2017, with e-commerce making up [5.61%](https://www.export.gov/article?id=Colombia-eCommerce) of the country’s GDP. But what effect is this growing market having on the shopping habits of the population? We look at the changing ways Colombians are selecting and paying for products online.   **What do Colombians want**** to buy online****?**  The first step to understanding the rise of e-commerce in Colombia, is in understanding what Colombians are looking for online. The breakdown of Colombian online purchases is something that we have looked at in detail [in previous articles](https://boacompra.com/en/blog/colombias-e-commerce-continues-to-show-a-promising-growth). Multimedia products were the [most purchased item in 2017](https://www.statista.com/forecasts/823058/products-mostly-bought-ordered-online-in-colombia), followed closely by home and furniture items, house and garden improvements and food and beverages. Video games also show huge potential for growth, with a projected increase in market size of [815.5%](https://blog.boacompra.com/colombias-e-commerce-continues-to-show-a-promising-growth/) from 2017 to 2022. However, it is important to note that growth projections for each category are not the same across the board. House and garden improvement is projected to show the [largest growth](https://www.statista.com/statistics/740724/colombia-online-retail-sales-change-category/) by 2022, with categories like fashion and consumer electronics [remaining a similar size](https://www.statista.com/statistics/740724/colombia-online-retail-sales-change-category/).  Importantly, Colombia is also seeing a rise in the use of mobile phones to make online purchases. A 2018 study reported that [67.8%](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf) of Colombians intend to use mobile or e-wallet payments online in 2019.  **How are Colombians making their purchases**** online****?**  This move towards online shopping is having a knock-on effect in the ways Colombians pay for items. Recent years have seen a rise in the use of debit cards, with [2 debit cards](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf)  existing for each credit card in 2017. Additionally, the average ticket size for debit and credit purchases in Colombia far outperform those of its more affluent LATAM neighbors like Brazil and Chile. In 2017, most countries making up the LATAM region had a similar debit card ticket value of [28 USD](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf), however in Colombia that figure is [43 USD](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf). For credit cards this figure is [88 USD](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf), outstripping its closest rival Chile with [77 USD](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf). It may be that this high-ticket price is a result of the purchases Colombians make online. [Financial (17%), retail (15%) and government (13%)](https://www.export.gov/article?id=Colombia-eCommerce) are the three highest performing categories for Colombians. This is different from their neighbors, Chile and Brazil. Brazil shoppers prefer [health/ cosmetics & fragrances (16.4%), and fashion & accessories (13.6%)](https://chart-na1.emarketer.com/227850/top-10-retail-ecommerce-categories-brazil-ranked-by-order-share-2018-of-total?li=1). Chile, conversely, spends most on [travel & tourism (29%) and financial services & real estate (24%)](https://chart-na1.emarketer.com/228752/b2c-ecommerce-sales-share-chile-by-category-2018-of-total?li=1).  This distinction makes it likely that the high-ticket price could be as a result of different online spending habits.  ![](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Tabela-May-30-2022-03-05-27-59-PM.jpg) While debit and credit cards are [the most popular payment methods online](https://www.minsait.com/sites/default/files/newsroom_documents/tendenciasmediosdepago_2018.pdf) there are interesting variations in payment method by category of purchase. As evidenced above, cash payments are still vitally important to the online shopping payment infrastructure. [Efecty, Baloto and Gana](https://boacompra.com/en/coverage/country/colombia) are three of the most popular cash payment systems.  As such, it is essential for international e-commerce merchants to provide a number of different methods of payment to properly capture the Colombian market. Partnering with a local expert, like [BoaCompra](https://boacompra.com/en), will ensure you offer the best checkout experience for your customers.  **C****onclusion**  The Colombian e-commerce market is both rapidly growing and changing. As such it represents an interesting prospect for the international e-commerce merchant. With large debit and credit ticket sizes and growing market segments, it also outperforms many of its LATAM neighbors. However, it is important to understand, and cater to, the various ways Colombians pay for items online, in order to truly have an impact.  Get in touch with us to learn how BoaCompra can help your company expand to this promising market: [![Nova call to action](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/bbdb23ba-8406-4ab5-a402-236db38e1c8e-May-30-2022-03-06-01-26-PM.png?width=738&height=170&name=bbdb23ba-8406-4ab5-a402-236db38e1c8e-May-30-2022-03-06-01-26-PM.png)](https://insights.boacompra.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=f7a5d64b-d444-404f-a20e-5e27390fd541&signature=AAH58kHfnd6zjIaZDGT7IfndxXyYDmxQ-g&placement_guid=f506e882-1e88-473c-9189-5cb96e5ca25b&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.boacompra.com%2Fthe-evolution-of-colombian-e-commerce%2F&portal_id=19718165) [![Nova call to action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/19718165/85b040b9-d37f-462c-9f2b-32a74c988579.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/19718165/85b040b9-d37f-462c-9f2b-32a74c988579) [How to localize your payment strategy when expanding your business to LATAM ](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/how-to-localize-your-payment-strategy-when-expanding-your-business-to-latam) [![](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/lemonade/images/post-navigation-btn.png?height=131&name=post-navigation-btn.png) ](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/how-to-localize-your-payment-strategy-when-expanding-your-business-to-latam) [The future of e-commerce in Latin America in 2020 ](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/the-future-of-e-commerce-in-latin-america-in-2020) [![](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/lemonade/images/post-navigation-btn.png?height=131&name=post-navigation-btn.png) ](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/the-future-of-e-commerce-in-latin-america-in-2020) Related Content ![Latin America: The Reign of Cash as a Local Payment](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/blog-linkedin-cash-1.png) [Payments](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/tag/payments) October 31, 2018 ### [Latin America: The Reign of Cash as a Local Payment](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/latin-america-the-reign-of-cash-as-a-local-payment) BoaCompra helps international businesses access local payments in Latin America and is fully integrated with PagSeguro/PagBank's ecosystem. ![6 top payment trends in LATAM for 2021](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Banner-01-Blog-Tend%C3%AAncias-de-pagamento2-1.jpg) [Payments](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/tag/payments) March 3, 2021 ### [6 top payment trends in LATAM for 2021](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/6-top-payment-trends-in-latam-for-2021) BoaCompra helps international businesses access local payments in Latin America and is fully integrated with PagSeguro/PagBank's ecosystem. ![How alternative payment methods can help your business in LATAM](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/payments-latam-1.jpg) [Payments](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/tag/payments) October 9, 2018 ### [How alternative payment methods can help your business in LATAM](https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/how-alternative-payment-methods-can-help-your-business-in-latam) Boleto, Efecty, Via Baloto, Rapipago, PagoEfectivo are some of the local payments in LATAM that international merchants must be acquainted with while making business there. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "PagSeguro Team", "url" : "https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/author/pagseguro-team" }, "dateModified" : "2022-05-30T15:07:52.994Z", "datePublished" : "2020-01-08T03:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "The evolution of Colombian e-commerce - BoaCompra", "image" : [ "https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Banner-Blog1-May-30-2022-03-05-25-73-PM.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/en/the-evolution-of-colombian-e-commerce", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.international.pagseguro.com/hubfs/BC_PAGS_logoanimado-169x30-2.gif" }, "name" : "PagSeguro Tecnologia Ltda" } } ```