M-commerce sees growth in Brazil

The number of people buying products and services via their phones in Brazil has gone up by 47 percent in 2015, according to research.

According to statistics compiled by consulting firm E-bit, m-commerce accounted for 14,3 percent of all online trading in the country last year.

This is a significant increase on 2014 numbers, when 9,7 percent of all online purchases were carried out via mobile phones.

The research also suggests that the channel has been used by 22 percent of the consumers that used the online channel for the first time.

However, some 88 percent of e-commerce consumers still prefer to use desktop computers to buy goods and services, but use mobile phones to carry out price research and comparisons beforehand.

E-commerce in Brazil generated R$41.3bn ($10.9bn) in sales in 2015, a 15,3 percent increase on 2014 numbers, according to the study.

Separate research from E-bit predicts that the local e-commerce segment will see the lowest growth rates of the last 15 years in 2016 as consumers cut down on spending due to the current recession.