MAPIC: Ecommerce gains ground in CEE: JLL

Online retailing is set to grow further in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region but ecommerce and shopping centres will develop hand in hand, according to a new report by Jones Lang LaSalle.

Online shopping is mainly the domain of people in their 30s and 40s, JLL says in its report 'Clicks or Bricks? E-commerce trends in Central & Eastern Europe'.

Kevin Turpin, head of research for Central and Eastern Europe at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: 'Ecommerce is now changing the retail environment of the region, as it has with the more advanced Western markets. The rise of the internet and the penetration of smartphones, tablets and other devices, along with the increasing popularity of social networks, have all brought changes in consumer behaviour patterns. Ecommerce is not only an additional channel for making purchases, the internet itself allows consumers to learn more about products before buying them. With so much information at hand, the consumer is no longer a passive buyer, but becomes a demanding active player'.

The key development factor with regard to online sales is the availability of a range of secure and quick payment methods like online banking, mobile transfers and online payment services.

Although increasing, internet access in CEE is still not as high as it is in Western Europe and ranges from 41% of households in Serbia to 71% in Slovakia.