Globally, internet usage has increased dramatically due to improved access from broadband, to wireless to satellite services, giving even rural Canadian areas reliable internet connections. With internet speeds increasing and prices decreasing, online retailers are cashing in on a computer savvy generation and is poised to bring in a whopping $23 billion from online sales - up 17% since 2012, according to ComScore.
Canada ranks 16th globally for internet penetration, or the portion of the population that has access to the Internet. Unsurprisingly, the province leading the Canadian e-commerce market is British Columbia, which is experiencing a growth spurt in population, housing starts and the construction and manufacturing sectors.
Despite increasing housing costs in the Lower Mainland, especially in many trending Vancouver neighborhoods, this B.C. area holds sixty percent of the provinces population - including its cultural, industrial and commercial centres. Much of the Vancouver population includes the rising class of millennials who have higher incomes and spend as much as 4 hours per day online, outside of work efforts. Combine this increased internet usage with increasing disposable income and the result is a growing trend of internet sales across the British Columbia region.
You may wonder just what Canadians are purchasing online? According to CanadiansInternet.com the top five e-commerce products and services purchased online are:
- Travel (hotel reservations, travel tickets, rental cars, etc.) 58%
- Event tickets (concerts, movies, sports, etc.) 52%
- Clothing, jewellery or accessories 42%
- Books, magazines, online newspapers 42%
- Music (CD, MP3, etc.) 35%
The Canadian online shopping demand is expected to continue to grow. When polled as to reasons why consumers are turning to digital retail, 65% percent cited free shipping, 34% shipment tracking, and 53% value receiving the product when expected as important.
Contact us for your shipping needs. You can schedule pickup online with real time tracking of your goods, domestically or internationally.
