Companies that offer their customers mobile and digital payment options, and also have cybersecurity mechanisms for fraud prevention, are the ones that will be able to take advantage of their position in this context of e-commerce boom.
The pandemic has considerably changed consumer habits, because of the quarantine decreed in the countries of the region, people prefer to spend more time at home, a phenomenon that forced companies to offer their customers online shopping options.
Accurately calculating freight costs and delivery times to make online sales profitable for companies are, in this context of the e-commerce rise, some of the most important challenges for the retail sector.
The changes in consumer habits reported in the context of the new commercial reality, which arose quickly as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and the restrictions imposed on mobility, have forced companies to transform the way they operate.
In Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras, interest in e-commerce services rebounded in January 2021 and in El Salvador and Guatemala, the number of Internet searches associated with the topic has not reported significant variations in recent months.
Through a system that monitors in real time the changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project demand trends in the short and long term, for the different products, services, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Investing in automatic learning systems to offer the most appropriate products for each consumer and to strengthen the relationship between customers and manufacturers, are strategies that could improve the income of online stores.
With the arrival of a new commercial reality, e-commerce passed from being the future of several businesses, to the present of companies dedicated to the commercialization of all types of products and services.
When mobility restrictions were decreed due to the covid-19 outbreak, interest in e-commerce services rebounded in all Central American markets, but, in the last few weeks a decrease in the number of Internet searches associated with the topic has been reported.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Between July and October 2020 the number of people in Panama who were exploring options for buying bedding online increased 36%, while the number of Salvadoran consumers looking to buy carpets grew 72%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchasing patterns.
Maintaining proper inventories to meet demand, having a robust logistics system and an electronic sales channel that protects your customers when they make a purchase, are part of the challenges that businesses face in this new reality.
With "Black Friday" and Christmas approaching, commercial establishments in the region are beginning to apply their sales and promotion strategies, with which they will try to recover part of their income.
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in Costa Rica who were exploring options for buying sports shoes online decreased 26%, while the number of Honduran consumers looking to buy dress shoes increased 27%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchase patterns.
Between July and October 2020 in Central America the number of people trying to buy home office furniture online increased 71%, and the number of consumers looking for car insurance policies grew by 8%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchasing patterns.
The transformation of purchasing habits caused by the boom in e-commerce at a regional level, forced companies to accelerate the process of implementing their plans, because now they must enhance their digital strategies and change their business culture.
In Central America, more than one million people are looking to buy some type of footwear online, and of this group of consumers, approximately 18% explore options to acquire boots.
CentralAmericaData's interactive information system monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the current commercial environment in which companies of all industries must operate.
In Central America about 2 million people are looking to buy some kind of pet supply online, and 13% of these consumers explore options for buying cat food.
The interactive information system, developed by CentralAmericaData, monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the new commercial environment that has emerged in an accelerated manner.
Starting in September, Hugo App will offer companies in the region an online store service, which will include a website, logistics, electronic invoicing and inventory management.
The new tool of the application of Salvadoran origin will be called Hugo Business, platform that will begin to operate from September 1st in Guatemala, and in the case of El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic, will begin in October.
The opportunities derived from the habit of buying online, together with the current business scenario, are creating an environment where the offer of different brands of clothing and restaurants are brought together in virtual platforms.
With the spread of covid-19, social distancing measures were decreed in the region's markets, a situation that led to radical changes in consumption habits and shopping methods.
The health crisis, quarantines and social distancing measures in Central American countries, forced individuals and companies to accelerate the adoption of new technologies, which caused the digital to become the center of all interactions.
In this scenario of covid-19 propagation, companies have had to migrate to the digital at great speed. The digitalization plans that companies were planning to implement in a period of 1 to 3 years are now being implemented in a few weeks, according to an analysis called "The Digital Agenda: Opportunities for the Service Sector", prepared by the Market Intelligence Unit of the Guatemalan Export Association (Agexport).