The UK is one of the strongest digital commerce markets in the world, as in 2012, B2C e-commerce sales in the country have increased 14.4 percent to GBP 77.35 billion, up from GBP 67.60 billion in the previous year, according to the market research firm eMarketer.

Their recent survey, during the period under review, B2C e-commerce sales in the UK were nearly three times larger than those in Germany, the second-largest Western European market. They expect that in 2013, UK sales are expected to grow 13.4 percent to GBP 87.75 billion and account for almost one-third of all B2C e-commerce sales in the region.

World leaders
Results show that consumers in the UK continue to spend more money online, per person, than those in any other country worldwide. Among consumers who purchase goods via any digital channel, average B2C ecommerce sales in the UK have risen to GBP 2,292 per person in 2012.

The survey also revealed that UK has been followed by Australia and Norway with average annual sales of GBP 2,268 and GBP 1,617, respectively, per person in 2012. In the case of Italy and Spain, where economic conditions are particularly fragile, growth in e-commerce sales has topped all other Western European markets as the number of people who bought goods online in the two countries has reached 11.7 million and 14.5 million, respectively, in 2012.

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B2C commerce is happening world-wide, in many different ways, e.g. one of the highest users of pre-paid cards is Mexico; Kenya is leading user of mobile payments. The only issue for corporate treasury departments is: How are you helping your company to change your business model to attract this new business?