Restrictions on the movement of people test the ability of companies to survive, since in the new business reality it is not enough to have a website to market products, as customers demand effective sales and delivery systems.
In early April, when Guatemala was just beginning its quarantine due to the covid-19 outbreak and the government began banning the movement of people after 4 p.m., some customers reported that the online sales systems of the country's large fast food restaurant chains collapsed in the face of increased demand.
So far this year, interest in e-commerce services in Central American markets has clearly picked up, with Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama recording the largest increases in e-commerce interactions.
Through a system that monitors in real time the changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by the Area of Commercial Intelligence of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project trends in demand in the short and long term, for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
According to the digital behavior of consumers, it is estimated that in the countries of the region more than 6 million people show interest in furniture, and most of them are between 26 and 45 years old.
A study of consumer interests and preferences in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, provides interesting results on people's preferences and tastes in several products, services and activities.
Interest in food and beverage products has clearly increased in recent weeks in the region's markets, with the trend being more evident in products such as baked goods, soups, liquors, fruits and vegetables, candies and fast food.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demandtrends for the different sectors and markets operating in the region.
Less impulsive and more reasoned purchasing decisions and the search for product and supplier information on the Internet and social networks are some of the characteristics of consumers in the new business environment.
Given the spread of covid-19, health authorities in Central American countries have been forced to restrict the mobility of people and have chosen to close most commercial establishments.
Increased demand for cleaning products, the use of e-commerce as a purchasing channel and the preference for functional foods are some of the new trends that will prevail in the medium and long term, once the pandemic is overcome.
According to a study prepared by the Foreign Trade Promoter of Costa Rica (Procomer), the outbreak of covid-19 has caused changes in consumer behavior and to take advantage of the opportunities one must begin to understand those that will come after the pandemic is overcome.
Personal care items, vehicle accessories, food and beverages are some of the products most demanded by consumers, who have migrated to digital platforms to make their purchases.
In the current scenario of confinement due to the health crisis in the region, consumers have disappeared from physical stores and have migrated to digital platforms to buy their products.
While some companies in the sector focus their efforts on one or the other channel, others, such as some department store chains, seek a balance between the two marketing modalities.
Companies dedicated to retailsales are facing a context in which consumers are less and less willing to spend their time mobilizing to make a purchase, but managers of chain stores have chosen to integrate physical sales with electronic sales.
As a result of the exponential growth of e-commerce at the global level, the region's customs authorities will face multiple challenges in the coming years in order to carry out their functions properly.
The current context, with consumers changing their preferences and increasingly valuing ease, convenience and time savings in their purchases, has forced companies to strengthen their online marketing channels, which in turn makes it necessary for Customs to optimize their processes.
Given the rise of online commerce to the detriment of traditional channels, the contact point between customers and brands is packaging, which must meet the demands of consumers, who are increasingly responsible for the environment.
Studies carried out by companies that provide courier services, detail that in a context of booming e-commerce, 90% of companies believe that in the coming years packaging will be more important, in the area of sustainability and in reducing carbon emissions.
In a situation where consumers are less and less willing to spend their time on the move, and where they value the convenience businesses provide when shopping, digital supermarkets are beginning to gain market in the region.
New companies that have emerged as supermarkets that do not have physical sales areas and are operated entirely online have found acceptance in some Central American countries.
The Assembly of El Salvador approved the legal framework that provides legal security to commercial relations, for the conclusion of contracts, transactions of goods and services between suppliers and consumers by electronic means.
The authorities informed that the regulation will enter into force one year after it has been published.
Changes in consumer preferences, which increasingly value ease, convenience and time savings in their purchases, are forcing companies to strengthen their online marketing channels to stay in competition.
Several companies that have not developed their digital marketing channels in time have gone bankrupt because of the growing competition represented by online sales.
The preference for electronic financial transactions increases everyday, but the trend is to migrate to contactless payments, which will allow consumers to make their purchases 10 times faster than the traditional way.
Specialists in the subject explain that unlike the payment methods that until now are the most used in the region, contactless payments simply consist of holding a card in a payment reader to proceed with the transaction.
To include articles that regulate the creation of web pages and to incorporate aspects of protection of personal data are some of the recommendations that Fusades makes in El Salvador on the E-Commerce Law that is discussed in the Legislative Assembly.
The Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (Fusades) prepared a document in which it addresses the draft Electronic Commerce Law that is discussed in the Legislative Assembly, and based on its analysis makes several warnings and recommendations.
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