Pandemic boosts e-commerce development in Kazakhstan – Atameken NCE Deputy Chairman

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – The pandemic has boosted the development of electronic commerce in Kazakhstan, Deputy Chairman of Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Nariman Abilshaikov stated, Kazinform correspondent reports.

According to Abilshaikov, there was the significant growth in e-commerce and online sales, mostly vie a B2C channel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his words, increased online retail sales were recorded during the outbreaks of COVID-19 cases and when quarantine measures were imposed.

«There were increases in sales of pharmaceuticals, household appliances, and foods. The data provided by Kazpost indicate that the e-commerce market stood at KZT435bn in the first half-year of 2020 or 9.4% of the total retail trade. The figure rose to KZT900bn by the end of last year,» he said.

The e-commerce market is planned to be valued at KZT1.9trl or account for approximately 13% of the annual retail turnover by 2022 in Kazakhstan.

The speaker also added that the increase in non-cash payment transactions had been observed since the introduction of the quarantine measures.

According to the data of the National Bank, as of November 1, 2020 the amount of non-cash transactions exceeded KZT26.7trl, increasing by 2.5fold.