Brazil's electronic commerce grew 27% in the first half, compared with the same period in 2008, with revenues of 4.8 billion reais (US$ 2.5 billion). Books and subscriptions to magazines and newspapers continue to lead Internet sales, followed by health and beauty products and medication; computer products; and electric household appliances.
The figures were culled from the 20th issue of the Webshopper report, issued August 18 by e-commerce monitoring company E-bit. According to the company director, Pedro Guasti, the growth rate was expected to be between 20% and 25%.
According to the survey, sales of electric appliances were one of the factors that contributed the most to the result, due to the reduction of the Tax on Industrialized Products (IPI) for the so-called white-line products.
The report highlights that the reduction of the IPI made electric household appliances cheaper by up to 20%. In June, they ranked second in the list of most sold products, and accounted for 13% of total orders.
Trade Surplus
Brazil posted a trade surplus of US$ 680 million in the second week of August, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. During that period, exports totaled US$ 3.192 billion and imports, US$ 2.512 billion.
Up until the second week this month, exports totaled US$ 6.466 billion and imports, US$ 4.851 billion. The trade surplus during the period was US$ 1.615 billion.
The trade surplus from January until the second week of August was US$ 18.528 billion, a figure 22.8% higher than in the same period of 2008 (US$ 15.083 billion). So far this year, exports total US$ 90.561 billion and imports, US$ 72.033 billion.
ABr