With the increasing number of smartphone users and widespread internet access, thousands of companies are expanding their businesses and offering services through mobile applications.

What was once unfamiliar territory for businesses, organizations, and service providers has quickly become one of the most potent and popular technological tools today.

According to an article published on the consulting firm The CIU’s portal in Mexico, during the second quarter of 2018, 73% of internet users used some form of online commerce platform at least once. This translates to 57.7 million people making payments for goods and services through tools available on the internet.

Furthermore, electronic commerce of goods and services generated around $96.305 billion pesos during the same quarter, with expectations to increase to $421.310 billion pesos in the coming years.

Ease in the purchasing process

Much of the increase in users adopting electronic means to buy or sell goods and services is attributed to decreased costs of mobile connectivity services, the growing popularity of Wi-Fi hotspots, and the introduction of new competitors in the payment methods market. These competitors now offer multiple alternatives such as payments at convenience stores, prepaid cards, and credit/debit card options.

Most used categories

Among the primary goods and services consumed via electronic means, electronic products top the list at 17.1%, followed by clothing and accessories at 11.4%, and travel tickets at 9.2% of the market.

It’s crucial to note the significance of collaborative economy apps like Uber, Airbnb, or BlaBlaCar, which are now used by 1 in 10 e-commerce users. These platforms enable individuals to offer services directly, rather than through companies.