13% of Bulgarians have shopped online
13% of adult Bulgarians or 28% of Internet users in our country have shopped online at least once, according to the data from the special sociological study of BBSS Galup International, dedicated to the global financial crisis.
With the increase of the share of Internet users in Bulgaria and the development of websites for group online shopping, Internet marketing is becoming an even more popular and accessible alternative for shopping in stores and commercial establishments. Less than a year ago, 5% of the entire population and 11% of Internet users said that they had purchased a product or service through collective shopping websites.
Online shopping is most popular among Bulgarians of between 18 and 40 years of age. Besides, 29% of all people aged 18-25 years in our country stated that they had made a purchase through a website at least once in their lives. The percentage of university graduates shopping online is the same. There is a substantially higher proportion of users of the service provided by Internet retailers among Bulgarians with an average and above-average financial standard, as well as among the inhabitants of Sofia.
The most frequently purchased goods online are clothing and footwear. 57% of Bulgarians who have ever shopped on the Internet stated that they had purchased clothing or shoes. Technical devices are the second most popular item purchased by 26% of Internet users. These are followed by books, movies and music purchased online by 20% of Bulgarians relying on Internet commerce.
Online stores of producers and traders are the most preferred way of shopping online by Internet buyers. 38% of them stated that they prefer to purchase goods from such shopping websites. Furthermore, the collective shopping and auction websites of the ebay type are the next most preferred websites, confirmed by 26% of the respondents. While online stores and auction websites are most popular among younger Internet shoppers, collective shopping websites enjoy greater popularity among citizens of between 26 and 40 years of age.
Despite the considerable share of the Internet audience which avails itself of the services of e-commerce, Bulgarian society continues to be rather skeptical in terms of the security of this type of services. 60% of adult Bulgarians are still hesitant as to whether it is safe to shop on the Internet in Bulgaria. 27%, in turn, believe that this undertaking is too risky and uncertain. Only 13% of the entire population consider online shopping to be secure and safe.
Text and photo: klassa.bg
(21.02.2012)