Brazilian e-commerce performance in 2021
01/04/2022Cross-border expansion, online mobile sales, the most successful categories and more: check out the insights and numbers for Brazilian e-commerce.
It is by now fairly obvious that Brazil is fertile ground for online sales. Every year it is setting new records in various metrics such as revenues, the number of consumers and average ticket. 2021 continued this trend. Brazilian e-commerce grew 27%, generating R$ 182.7 billion in revenues. Much of this growth came between January and April, but especially March, sales rose 75% year-on-year. Brazilian e-commerce grew 41% in the first half of the year alone.
These figures are from Webshoppers 45, a report produced by NIQ Ebit in partnership Bexs Pay. Since 2001, this study has been the benchmark for Brazilian e-commerce. Keep reading and find out more about this market which, despite its maturity, still holds a lot of promise.
Brazilians show increasing confidence in online marketplaces
Although physical stores reopened without any restrictions last year, many Brazilians continue to prefer e-commerce. In 2021, 87.7 million consumers made purchases on e-commerce websites, either in an effort to continue social distancing, take advantage of the greater convenience and attractive prices or simply on impulse. 12.9 million of them were making their first online purchase. Most orders were placed during the week, between Monday and Thursday.
Trust in the sector is evident based on the average ticket for existing and new shoppers. The average ticket was R$ 443, 5% up on 2020. The biggest increase was from consumers making their first online purchases. in 2020, the average ticket for this group was R$ 415, but it rose 9% in 2021 to R$ 454.
A positive shopping experience is not just about price. For instance, free shipping has been a considerable driver for online sales in Brazil: 47% of orders placed in 2021 were delivered free of charge. Brazilian consumers are mature and appreciate e-commerce businesses with good reputations. Purchases are mainly made online to take advantage of special promotions, for convenience, to save time or to get faster delivery.
2021’s stand out e-commerce categories were: food and beverages head up the ranking
Up 107% between 2020 and 2021: this was the e-commerce performance in the “Food and Beverage” category. People became more accustomed to purchasing non-durable goods online during social distancing. Products with a fast turnover – called FMCG or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods – saw sales increase 41% in 2021.
The pandemic’s direct and indirect effects help explain growth in the other sectors holding the top five spots based on Brazilian shopping carts: Infant items (34%), Tools and Construction (31%), IT (24%) and Healthcare (23%).
Mobile commerce and the online sales boom via smartphones
Like e-commerce generally, m-commerce – online purchases made from mobile devices – has also been growing every year. In 2021, m-commerce transaction volumes rose 32%. Revenues totaled R$ 95.4 billion.
The number of orders also rose 24% year on year. In fact, if we also include orders from desktops (41%), m-commerce accounted for a majority (59%) of online orders in 2021. The average ticket also rose from R$ 377 to R$ 398.
The strategies behind this increase are based on a mix of very successful e-commerce trends in Brazil: in social commerce, live sales broadcasts reach millions of people. To boost conversion, online stores should invest in a fully responsive customer experience (UX) to ensure the purchase flow on mobile is just as interesting as it is on a desktop.
Cross border trade: 68% of Brazilian e-shoppers bought from foreign websites in 2021
E-commerce os borderless! Brazilian consumers continue to have a healthy interest in buying from overseas stores. After cross-border purchases peaked in 2020 (71% of Brazilian e-shoppers made a cross-border transaction that year), the percentage fell 3% in 2021. Cross-border e-commerce also registered very strong revenues: they were up 60% year on year, with sales reaching R$ 36.2 billion.
Opportunities from North to South: online sales in Brazil, a country the size of a continent
In 2021, growth in precision e-commerce was well-balanced. Each of the country’s five regions grew more than 20%:
- North: 31%
- South: 29%
- Mid-West: 27%
- Northeast: 23%
- Southeast: 21%
Your e-commerce business could also be serving Brazilians across the country from anywhere in the world. With the Bexs Pay online payment solution and FX via Platform (API), Brazilian consumers can pay for their purchases using local methods – like Pix and Boleto – and in their local currency. Our experts can take you step by step through the entire process by assessing your business’s requirements and customizing appropriate digital payment solutions. Contact us!