"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Survey: Egyptians did US$2.1 billion in e-commerce last year
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 15 - 04 - 2010

A new survey conducted by Amman-based consultancy Arab Advisors Group revealed that almost 35 percent of adult internet users in Egypt currently make some use of e-commerce, racking up a total of US$2.1 billion worth of online transactions--including bill payments--in 2009.
This percentage translates into roughly 2.36 million Egyptians, with the total number of internet users in Egypt reaching over 12.5 million as of last June. More recent estimates suggest the number is now closer to 16 million.
Essam Hassan, manager of digital marketing agency Lane 8, however, says the 35 percent figure may be overly generous.
“The number of credit card holders in Egypt is very limited,” he said. “And the number of these willing to use their cards online is even more limited.” Recent estimates have put the number of total credit card holders in Egypt at about 2 percent of the population, although studies suggest this number is quickly increasing.
According to Hassan, if such a significant proportion of internet users were actually engaged in e-commerce, Egypt would see more local websites offering e-services. “But there are only a handful of local websites in the e-commerce business,” he said.
Ultimately, Hassan believes the issue depends on how e-commerce is defined; on whether or not sites like otlob.com or government portals issuing new IDs and birth certificates--where payment is made upon receipt rather than online--can be considered genuine e-commerce sites.
In a statement to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Arab Advisors Group explained that e-commerce was defined in their survey as constituting any online transaction of a service or product, regardless of means of payment or delivery.
The survey also looked at telecommunications subscriptions and services in Egypt, as well as general internet usage, mobile-commerce, e-banking and Pay TV. The full survey can be purchased from the group for US$2,750.
Interestingly, according to a press release on the survey's results, Voice Over IP (VoIP) usage among Egyptian internet users--on applications such as Skype--reached 46.3 percent in 2009.
Last month, however, Egypt's National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) blocked access to VoIP through mobile phones, prompting internet telephony firm Skype to question the move.
The NTRA justified the decision by pointing to Law No. 10 of 2003, which, it says, prohibits the use of Skype for commercial or personal purposes. The move has left almost half of Egypt's internet users wondering if VoIP via fixed lines would be the next to go.
But according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, no decision is currently being taken on the matter.


Clic here to read the story from its source.