According to the Balkan Barometer 2024 report, Albania has the lowest level of online sales in the region, with a significant percentage of businesses having less than 5% of their sales made via the internet.
This phenomenon is an indication of the challenges the country faces in the field of e-commerce, including the awareness and adoption of digital technology in business.
Main Results:
Albania with low online sales: 81% of businesses in Albania report that less than 5% of their sales are made online, which is one of the highest percentages in the region. This is significantly higher than the regional average of 60%.
Region and Neighboring Countries: Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina show more mixed results, with respectively 49% and 35% of businesses reporting online sales below 5%. These countries have a higher percentage of businesses that make over 20% or even more than 50% of their sales through the Internet, suggesting a higher acceptability of e-commerce in these countries.
High Online Sales in Kosovo and Montenegro: Kosovo is among the best performing countries in this category, with 14% of businesses reporting that more than half of their sales are made online. Montenegro also performs quite well with 12% of businesses reporting the same percentage.
The Challenge in E-Commerce Adoption: Despite most of the Balkan countries experiencing an increase in technology, Albania, along with North Macedonia and Serbia, shows a significant slowness in the adoption of e-commerce. In Albania, only 3% of businesses make more than 50% of their sales through online channels, which is one of the lowest levels in the region.
These data reflect a converging trend that many Balkan countries, including Albania, still have a long way to go in terms of increasing acceptance of online commerce.
In order to improve this indicator, a greater effort is required in improving the technological infrastructure, promoting the use of the Internet and educating businesses about the benefits of e-commerce.
While Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro show notable improvements, the report suggests that Albania needs to address the obstacles that are limiting the growth of online commerce in order to keep pace with the region's technological and economic transformations.
*This article was published by Monitor.al and reposted by Tiranapost.al
