Electronic commerce in 2012 - Pure players dominate web retail sales

In 2012, 53 billion euros' worth of goods and services were sold to individuals via a website by companies based in France, representing 1.5% of their total revenue. Some 13,000 enterprises with ten or more employees made the majority of these sales, that is, 46 billion euros, a rise of 37% against 2008. Retail alone accounted for a quarter of online sales. This dynamic, highly concentrated market includes businesses that are almost exclusively engaged in online sales (pure players), along with more traditional distance-selling players and companies that have developed online sales as a complement to their in-store business. But the pure players dominate, both in terms of numbers (57.5%) and in market share (51.6%). While there are many independent microenterprises, it is the companies owned by a group that generate two-thirds of the online sales of pure players. Clothing & footwear and cultural goods are their leading products.