CHAPTER III MEASURING THE E-COMMERCE READINESS OF COUNTRIES
1. Internet access
Internet access for both buyers and sellers is needed to conduct online shopping. According to ITU, there ZHUH } ELOOLRQ ,QWHUQHW XVHUV DFURVV WKH ZRUOG LQ
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people around the world could theoretically make online purchases from different locations, such as home, telecentres or from mobile devices.
The proportion of enterprises that access the ,QWHUQHWLVKHDYLO\LQƅXHQFHGE\WKHLUVL]HZLWKODUJHU
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a web presence for accepting orders is necessary (even if outsourced to a third party). The number of e-commerce websites is a useful indicator of the capabilities for receiving online orders. According to RQH VRXUFH DURXQG HFRPPHUFH VLWHV LQ
WKHZRUOGJHQHUDWHGQRQQHJOLEOHUHYHQXHLQ1 However, these data are neither regularly collected nor available by country. Given that e-commerce sites require security software, one widely available proxy for the quality of e-commerce infrastructure is the number of secure servers using encryption technology for Internet transactions. There are considerable differences between countries in WKLV DUHD ,Q WKHUH ZHUH RYHU VHFXUH
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Order
Source: UNCTAD.
2. Payment systems for online purchases
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enterprises or people are willing to sell online without VRPH LQGLFDWLRQ RI SD\PHQW RQOLQH RU RIƅLQH E\
the buyer. In contrast to bricks-and-mortar retail stores, online retailers often require payment to be PDGH EHIRUH FRPSOHWLQJ WKH VDOH 3D\PHQW V\VWHPV
are rapidly evolving, expanding the possibilities for consumers and corporate buyers to pay for products bought online. A distinction can be made between account-based payment systems, electronic currency V\VWHPVDQGRWKHUV\VWHPV 2(&' Account-based payments systems: These allow SD\PHQW WKURXJK DQ H[LVWLQJ SHUVRQDOL]HG DFFRXQW
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a service provider and provide credit or bank account details as the source of payments. In order to pay, they need only to know the seller’s email DGGUHVVZKLFKLVYHULƄHGDQGOLQNHGWRWKHVHUYLFH
provider’s account. The payment is debited from the e-shoppers personal account without further ƄQDQFLDOLQIRUPDWLRQWUDQVPLWWHGWRWKHVHOOHU
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0RELOHSD\PHQWDQGWHOHSKRQ\DFFRXQWV\VWHPVUsing a mobile device, buyers can purchase SURGXFWV LQ WZR SULQFLSDO ZD\V (XURSHDQ
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are both present, payment can be made using FRQWDFWOHVVUDGLRWHFKQRORJLHVVXFKDVQHDUƄHOG
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initiated using mobile devices with the transactions carried out either over telecommunication networks (for example, the Global System for 0RELOH&RPPXQLFDWLRQV RUWKH,QWHUQHW
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2QOLQH EDQNLQJ &RQVXPHUV XVLQJ WKLV IDFLOLW\ DUHredirected from a merchant’s webpage to the consumer’s own bank’s online banking site.
Electronic currency systems: These allow payment as long as the payer has an adequate amount of HOHFWURQLF FXUUHQF\ 7KLV W\SH KDV WZR IRUPV D smart card systems, which are mainly used to pay VPDOO DPRXQWV ZLWKLQ RUJDQL]DWLRQV IRU H[DPSOH IRU
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1 3 6 7 40 42
160
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0 200 400 600 800 1000
Least developed countries Middle East and North Africa (DVW$VLDDQGWKH3DFLƂF Sub-Saharan Africa Latin America and the Caribbean Europe and Central Asia World High income
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software-only electronic money instruments based on qVLJQHGPRQH\r7KH\XVXDOO\ZRUNYLDSUHSDLGFDUGV
and arrangements differ. Digital currencies or crypto-FXUUHQFLHVVXFKDV%LWFRLQDUHJDLQLQJWUDFWLRQ7KH\
are not backed by Governments or central banks, nor OLQNHGWRUHDOZRUOGFXUUHQFLHV :RUOG3D\ 2WKHUSD\PHQWV\VWHPVLQFOXGHIRUH[DPSOH 2(&'
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online wallets, in which case the user must register with a payment provider and upload money using a GHELW RU FUHGLW FDUG HVFURZ VHUYLFHV ZKHUH D WKLUG
party intermediary is responsible for holding a buyer’s payment until the buyer receives and approves the PHUFKDQGLVH DQG FDVKRQGHOLYHU\ ,Q WKH FDVH RI
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to electronic funds transfers.
Credit cards still account for the lion’s share of retail HFRPPHUFHVHWWOHPHQWV :RUOG3D\ +RZHYHU
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up for the majority of all retail e-commerce payments, ZLWK qHZDOOHWVr VHW WR UHSUHVHQW PRUH WKDQ } SHU
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developed countries rely on accounts-based systems.
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the main method, followed by mediating systems HZDOOHWV WDEOH} ,,, $PRQJ GHYHORSLQJ FRXQWULHV
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for less than half.
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almost half the value of e-commerce transactions in
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(DVW In India, as well, such payments still account IRUt}SHUFHQWRIDOORQOLQHWUDQVDFWLRQV Cash on delivery can be seen as a low risk option for consumers to enter e-commerce. However, it is a higher risk RSWLRQ IRU SURGXFHUV 5HOLDQFH RQ FDVK RQ GHOLYHU\
can act as an inhibitor of e-commerce growth due to people not paying when the product is delivered and to the lag between product dispatch and payment.4 0RELOHSD\PHQWVDFFRXQWHGIRURQO\}SHUFHQWRIWKH
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well-functioning mobile money systems. In several African countries, mobile solutions represent the most viable infrastructure for e-services due to high degrees RI ƄQDQFLDO H[FOXVLRQ OLPLWHG DYDLODELOLW\ RI Ƅ[HG OLQHV
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ZLWKRQO\}PLOOLRQIRUFDUGSD\PHQWV5 The success of mobile money has led to the development of many QHZSD\PHQWVHUYLFHV VHHFKDSWHU},9
Low levels of credit card usage in developing regions are related to limited ownership of such cards. In
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and older had a credit card in Africa and South Asia, compared with almost half of that age group in high-LQFRPHHFRQRPLHV WDEOH},,,
In view of the cash-based culture in many countries ZLWK D VLJQLƄFDQW QXPEHU RI XQEDQNHG SHRSOH
and limited experience with electronic payments, alternative payment systems have emerged. In
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created by companies such as the online gaming GHYHORSHU 9RVWX which formed a partnership with
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to purchase goods online using a slip that customers can print from the website and pay by cash at a bank, KHQFH HQDEOLQJ SD\PHQW RIƅLQH 0LFURSD\PHQW DQG
small payments are also gaining traction in developing 7DEOH},,, (WUDQVDFWLRQVYDOXHE\SD\PHQWPHWKRGV
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cards
States and Canada and Middle East
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countries. They are designed to suit services or FRQWHQW ZLWK ORZ XQLW YDOXHV 6ROXWLRQV OLNH 0&RLQ
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payment to a user’s mobile phone bills.
3. Delivery systems
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to e-commerce because of the desirability of downloading digital products or the convenience of receiving physical products at their homes.
Weaknesses in the delivery infrastructure can seriously hamper e-commerce, especially for goods.
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type, the quality of the Internet connection is a key factor. AQDQDO\VLVRISDQHOGDWDRYHU\HDUV
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be among the most important variables explaining cross-national variability in e-retail spending .VKHWULHWDO
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the postal/parcel express network or seller’s RZQGHOLYHU\QHWZRUN
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%X\HUJRHVWRSLFNXSSK\VLFDOSURGXFW 7KLVLVgenerally at the store the product was ordered from or a nearby branch if ordered through a central retail website. Some retailers have qORFNHUVr LQ FHUWDLQ ORFDWLRQV ZKHUH WKH EX\HU
can go to pick up the merchandise. Sometimes WKHLWHPLVGHOLYHUHGWRDSRVWRIƄFHSDUFHORIƄFH
for pick up, either because there is no home delivery available or the package requires a VLJQDWXUH
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%X\HU qJRHVr WR WKH VHUYLFH RUGHUHG 7KLV LVtypically the case for online travel purchases where buyers purchase an airline trip, car rental, hotel accommodation or event tickets.
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and permanent download to the user’s computer, limited download (for example, a rental product such as a video that expires after a certain time), streaming or cloud storage. The digital delivery process is affected by the quality of a buyer’s Internet connection. In the case of small digital products (for example, a song or a book), relatively VORZ GRZQORDG VSHHGV PD\ VXIƄFH /DUJHU GLJLWDO
products, such as downloading or streaming videos, require more bandwidth. The video streaming
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bills or to buy things using money from their accounts.
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card
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High income economies 61.4 89.5 33.4 55.2 .. .. .. 49.8
Other economies
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use its service.9 7KH\ UDQJH IURP PHJDELWV SHU
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(HD) quality. According to average download speeds FRPSLOHG E\ 2RNOD 1HW ,QGH[ all economies could support the minimum required broadband connection VSHHG ZKLOH } SHU FHQW FRXOG VXSSRUW +' TXDOLW\
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It affects countries where streaming services are not hosted locally and must be accessed over slower international links.
The postal system plays a key role in e-commerce logistics. It often remains the most cost-effective way to send parcels. In the past decade, the handling of parcels has become increasingly important for the postal system in terms of volume and revenue.
While the number of letters sent domestically and LQWHUQDWLRQDOO\KDYHGHFOLQHGVLJQLƄFDQWO\SDUFHOWUDIƄF
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the Caribbean, and in developed countries, over one third of the total revenues of posts were generated by SDUFHOSRVWLQ 838
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ability to have them shipped to the buyer’s home.
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Speed
0EV Comment RI
economies
0.5 Required broadband
connection speed 100
1.5 Recommended broadband
connection speed 96
3 Recommended for SD quality 86 5 Recommended for HD quality 71 Source: $GDSWHGIURP1HWƅL[1HW,QGH[ KWWS ZZZQHWLQGH[
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0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Number of letters (domestic Number of parcels (domestic
Number of letters (international Number of parcels (international
Source: 838
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of the population in those regions does not have ac-cess to postal delivery or pickup. Across the world, RQO\DERXW}SHUFHQWRIWKHSRSXODWLRQODFNDFFHVV
to postal services.
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and create products to meet the needs of e-commerce.
Nevertheless, the postal network remains the most important national infrastructure for universal access for urban dwellers and, more importantly, for consumers and producers located outside the urban areas. The reach of the national postal network in most countries and its ability to connect to the wider international postal network makes it a cost effective PHWKRGIRUFRQQHFWLQJDOOFLWL]HQVDQGEXVLQHVVHVWR
the global e-commerce economy.
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for enterprises engaging in e-commerce in many economies. While larger businesses, like the online UHWDLOHU 2]RQUX may choose to build their own distribution networks, this option is out of reach for micro and small businesses that may need to explore other innovative solutions, such as the motorbike
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home delivery – involving collection points, delivery at work, parcel lockers and in-store pickup – is one option to increase the attractiveness of e-commerce in developing countries.
B. THE UNCTAD B2C E-COMMERCE INDEX
There are few benchmarks of country e-commerce performance. Those that exist suffer from a lack of public availability, scope or consistent methodology, as well as limited geographical coverage.14 This VHFWLRQ SUHVHQWV WKH 81&7$' %& (FRPPHUFH
Index, which is based on indicators related to the IDFWRUV GLVFXVVHG DERYH WDEOH} ,,, ER[ ,,, ,W
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exogenous factors such as income, digital literacy and laws. While the legal and regulatory framework LQƅXHQFHVWKHGHJUHHRIWUXVWLQRQOLQHFRPPHUFLDO
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numerical value to its quality. This dimension is therefore not included in the Index. However, the
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Population with home delivery
Population with PO box delivery
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Note: Geographical regions refer to developing countries only.
extent to which countries have relevant laws in SODFHLVH[DPLQHGLQFKDSWHU}9
Several observations can be made about the highest-UDQNHG HFRQRPLHV WDEOH} ,,, )LUVWO\ PRVW DUH
developed countries. Secondly, most are relatively small and/or distant from major market centres.
Smaller physical retail markets appear to stimulate RQOLQHVKRSSLQJLQFOXGLQJDVLJQLƄFDQWDPRXQWIURP
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upper-middle and high-income economies, six of which are from Asia and the remaining four from Latin America.
Box III.1. Methodology of the UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index
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various components needed to carry out an e-commerce transaction, including payment and delivery. This includes access to the Internet by the consumer, a web presence to receive the order, a payment method and a delivery method. Secondly, statistical analysis was performed by regressing these indicators on the percentage of individuals ZKRKDYHPDGHDQRQOLQHSXUFKDVHIRUFRXQWULHVZKHUHVXFKGDWDZHUHDYDLODEOH,QGLFDWRUVZLWKWKHKLJKHVW
VWDWLVWLFDOVLJQLƄFDQFHZHUHWKHQVHOHFWHGWRFUHDWHWKH,QGH[7KHVHLQGLFDWRUVDUHVKRZQLQWDEOH},,,7KHUHVXOWV
RIWKHUHJUHVVLRQVKRZDJRRGƄWZLWKDFRHIƄFLHQWRIGHWHUPLQDWLRQRI$OOLQGLFDWRUVH[FHSWVHFXUHVHUYHUV
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by rescaling the values.15 The values of the indicators were then averaged to obtain the Index value. The Index FRPSULVHV}HFRQRPLHVZLWKDOODYDLODEOHLQGLFDWRUVXVLQJGDWDIRU RUODWHVW\HDUDYDLODEOH 7KHIXOOOLVWRI
countries is provided in annex 1.
Source: UNCTAD.
7DEOH},,, ,QGLFDWRUVLQFOXGHGLQWKH81&7$' B2C E-commerce Index
Indicator 6RXUFHQRWH
Percentage of individuals using Internet
ITU, Eurostat and national surveys, 2013, 216 economies
Credit card (% age 15+) :RUOG%DQN)LQGH[VXUYH\
149 economies Secure Internet servers
(per 1 million people) :RUOG%DQN HFRQRPLHV Percentage of the population
having mail delivered at home 838 HFRQRPLHV Source: UNCTAD.
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Economy
Share of population having mail delivered at home
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SHUFHQW
Secure servers per 1 million people
QRUPDOL]HG
Share of individuals with
credit card
/X[HPERXUJ 100 99 72 95 91.7 1
Norway 100 97 60 96 88.3 2
Finland 100 97 64 92 88.1 3
Canada 100 93 72 83 87.1 4
Sweden 100 96 54 95 86 5
Australia 100 95 64 83 85.5 6
Denmark 100 99 45 95 84.7 7
Republic of Korea 100 99 56 82 84.3 8
United Kingdom 100 94 52 91 84.2 9
Israel 100 82 80 73 83.9 10
Source: 81&7$' VHHDQQH[
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set. In general, rates of population covered by postal services and secure Internet servers are higher than individual access to the Internet and to credit cards.
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median and mean for postal delivery highlights that ZKLOHRYHUKDOIWKHFRXQWULHVFRYHUPRUHWKDQ }SHU
cent of their population with home postal services, around a third provide coverage to less than half their population. In the case of credit card use, only
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cent. Credit card penetration has the lowest average and maximum scores across the four indicators,
suggesting that globally, payment is the one area meriting the most attention.
The Index allows countries to compare their e-commerce readiness with that of others and also indicates their relative strength and weaknesses with regard to different elements of the e-commerce process (for example, Internet access, e-commerce sites, payment, and delivery). At the regional level, there is considerable variation among the four indicators WDEOH},,, )RUH[DPSOHWUDQVLWLRQHFRQRPLHVGLVSOD\
a relatively high degree of home postal delivery,
a relatively high degree of home postal delivery,