According to Janet Naydenova from the Bulgarian E-commerce Association, the percentage of Internet users in Bulgaria who have turned to online shopping has surged to 53%, representing over 2,800,000 individuals, marking a substantial increase from previous years. Naydenova emphasized the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the e-commerce landscape in Bulgaria, attributing the spike in online shopping activity to the global health crisis.
Naydenova also drew attention to the significant room for growth within the e-commerce sector in Bulgaria by comparing the country's current online buyer percentage to that of Scandinavian countries and Great Britain, where 80-90% of internet users are engaged in online shopping. As part of a forum for responsible production and trade in Sofia, Naydenova highlighted the potential for further development and expansion within the Bulgarian e-commerce market.
The location of sellers in the Bulgarian e-commerce market is predominantly within the country, with 94.4% of online stores being based in Bulgaria. Furthermore, 32% of sellers are situated within the EU, 18% operate outside the EU, and in a small fraction of cases (1.5%), the origin of the seller remains unknown. Popular online products and services in Bulgaria include clothing, accommodation, hotel reservations, sporting goods (excluding sportswear), cosmetics, and restaurant deliveries, reflecting the diverse range of sectors experiencing growth within the e-commerce landscape.