Egyptians' online shopping rates are rising steadily, according to MasterCard's latest study, with 44% of respondents having used the internet to shop. The study added that 80% of the respondents are satisfied with their online shopping experience. "The steady growth of online shopping trends in Egypt sheds light on the priorities of the technology-savvy new age consumer, who now enjoys the convenience, speed, value for money and safety of their transactions while shopping online," said Aaron Oliver, the head of emerging payments for the Middle East and Africa at MasterCard. "Well-developed internet infrastructure and the availability of secure online payment options means companies can expand their online presence to grow their business and diversify their customer base. For consumers, online shopping is convenient, fast and safe," Oliver added. Oliver pointed out that the benefits of online shopping had made the rise unsurprising. The Online Shopping Behavior Survey has shown that, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, consumers spend most on airlines, bookings for travel and hotels, followed by shopping for home appliances and clothing. More than half of respondents said they had made at least one purchase during 2013, a notable 40% increase compared to 2011. Almost half of the surveyed indicated that the Souq, an online shopping website, was the most commonly visited site for online shopping. Around 15% stated that Jumia, Amazon and Facebook were the next three most used websites for online shopping in Egypt. The reputation of the website, the security of the payment and the speed of the transaction and delivery represented Egyptians' top considerations when making online purchases. Mobile shopping also saw a surge. According to Oliver, "this progression is likely to continue as consumers become more aware of the safety and security features and begin getting more familiar with the mobile shopping experience". Home appliances, mobile app stores and computer software have also been rising steadily since 2011. The financial advisory, coupons and deals and beauty-care products along with the local and international news websites witnessed a decline. On improving the online shopping services, 60% of respondents said free or minimal delivery charges would be useful. The surveyed added that the elimination of additional service charges and complete assurance of security of online transactions were also preferred. MasterCard's Online Shopping Behavior Survey was based on interviews with 4000 respondents from 8 markets across the Middle East and North Africa.
