An unprecedented situation like the one that has arisen due to this pandemic. Is definitely something that tests our ability to reinvent. Ourselves and overcome the transformations that are coming in the coming months. The economy has its big losers such as the aviation and tourism industries, but big winners such as technology, e-commerce, medicine and agriculture. And issues such as food security and health are more than ever a priority.
For several years we have seen inPanama a growth and adoption of e-commerce, but for many not very fast, for various reasons. Low access to credit, low penetration of credit cards, distrust to online payment systems, among others And although the reality in our country reflected an ecosystem full of technology-based startups and the emergence of more and more apps for online shopping; not all of them saw the success they expected. Taking into account the high investments required to develop apps, the low sales volume, and a market as small as the one in our country.
Read also: Benefits of having an online presence.
Opportunity for online business
With the arrival of the pandemic came an opportunity for online businesses. These are the ideal circumstances for any online store. Since the buyer is forced to stay at home, he must buy everything from his cell phone or computer; since he is afraid to touch cash for fear of contagion, he prefers to pay by card, ACH or other digital means. Since he can only leave at certain hours, for the courier, his perfect customer, he will always find him available to receive the order; since there is no traffic, delivery routes are faster and optimal, great savings in fuel. But, will this be a fad while the quarantine lasts or will the Panamanian buyer adopt e-commerce as a new way of life?
For sure, e-commerce will be an important part of our lives. in this video link I share with you a workshop I shared in an activity organized by the Women in Engineering (WIE), affinity groups of Universidad Latina, Universidad Tecnológica and Universidad de Panamá.
