I Report Plus Main Findings: 3rd Quarter 2016

Decrease of online purchases to 33%

September was first in online purchases with 70%

Most online purchases were made from the ages 25-34

‘Technology’ and ‘Cosmetics’ recorded a significant increase

For the first time Ali Express overtakes Asos

The results of the third quarter of 2016 of the subscription tool for measuring and analyzing online shopping in Cyprus - the I Report Plus - were announced today by Interactive Marketing Services Company, ImarComms.

The I Report Plus tracked the online behavior of the Cypriot consumer for the third quarter of 2016 with September recording the highest buying traffic of the quarter with 70%, July being second with 56% and August being third with 55%. The age groups that had the highest percentage of purchases per month were: the age group 35-44 for July and September and the age group 45+ years for August.

Overall, the online purchases for the third quarter of 2016 were recorded at 33%, with a decrease of 6% from the previous quarter, which recorded a growth record.

The I Report Plus recorded that most online purchases were made from a personal computer with 69%, followed by mobile phone with 31% and Tablet with 16%. The age group that had the highest percentage of purchases via a personal computer was the group 45+ years and from mobile and Tablet the age group 35-44. Most purchases were made from home by 93%.

Concerning the categories and types of products purchased online, the I Report Plus recorded among the first categories:
• The category ‘Technology’ with 35% and an increase of 6% from the previous quarter
• The category ‘Clothing’ with 31% and a decrease of 2% from the previous quarter
• The category ‘Air flight tickets’ with 14% and a decrease of 3% from the previous quarter
• The category ‘Cosmetics’ with 9% and an increase of 6% from the previous quarter

Regarding the websites and online shops from where the purchases were made, the I Report Plus recorded as first Ebay with 54% and an increase of 13% from the previous quarter, as second Amazon with 23% and a rise of 8%, and as third Ali express with 13% and an increase of 6%. Also from the other online shops, the I Report Plus recorded among others - Asos with 8%, booking.com with 5%, Cobalt with 2% and Eshop with 2%.

"The I Report Plus recorded a general decrease in the online purchases for the third quarter of 2016 mainly due to the comparison with the record growth recorded in the previous quarter that did not continue. Nevertheless, many categories continued their upward trend with technology and cosmetics recording significant increase in a period that traditionally did not record an increase," said Pericles Ellinas, CEO of ImarComms.