As high-speed broadband facilitates everyday life and consumers become increasingly mobile, e-Commerce continues to grow in double digits year on year and has become a key driver of global commerce. The online world has resulted in the emergence of new business models to challenge the traditional ones – including the postal delivery model. Posts are acting to consolidate their positions by developing new offers to meet consumer needs and to interconnect their networks around the globe.
Total B2C e-Commerce sales amounted to slightly over €1tn in 2013. With sales amounting to €350bn in 2013, Europe was the largest e-Commerce market and showed an average year-on-year growth of 19%. Eastern Europe and in particular Russia have registered growth rates well above the average (up to 35%). Asia Pacific was the second-largest e-Commerce market with sales of €338bn in 2013 but with a year-on-year growth rate of 30%; the region is set to overtake Europe as the largest e-Commerce market in the coming years. E-Commerce sales in 2013 amounted to €318bn in North America, seeing a per annum growth rate of 18%.
