More than half of Polish e-commerce concentrated in 3 provinces

Despite the fact that the Internet provides the opportunity to do business from anywhere in the country and the world - Polish online retailers are not evenly distributed on the map of Poland. Data from the Shoper platform shows that more than 55 percent of all online stores were established in the Mazowieckie, Malopolskie and Slaskie regions.

The big three, the big six

Shoper has analyzed data from the last 10 months for more than 10,000 e-shops using the Shoper platform. Stores from the Mazowieckie, Malopolskie and Slaskie provinces account for as much as half of sales on the Polish Internet. This means that the remaining 13 combined generate sales at the level of these three provinces! Standing out among those chasing the big three are Wielkopolskie - with sales of almost 10% - and Dolnoslaskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie - about 9% each. As a result, more than 3/4 of Polish e-commerce is concentrated in just six provinces.

The smallest number of e-stores (just over 1 percent) is located in the Świętokrzyskie province. Stores established there also record the lowest sales in Poland, their share of total e-sales in the country is less than 1 percent. Stores in the Opole and Lubuskie provinces are doing slightly better.

- However, stores established in provinces with a small number of e-businesses and a low average number of transactions are by no means doomed to failure. A number of examples can be given, which, thanks to their product specialization or other distinguishing features, have been able to thrive. Ultimately, e-commerce takes place across borders - not only of countries, but also of cities, counties and municipalities. Key to the success of an e-commerce business is the proper identification of the needs of its target group and finding a niche, comments Tomasz Tybon director of marketing and sales at Dreamcommerce.

One of the most popular e-commerce categories in Poland is clothing. Shoper data shows that this industry generates the most, at around 20 percent of the number of total transactions in Polish e-commerce. Stores in the "home and garden" and "health and beauty" categories also stand out, accounting for just over 12 percent of volume sales each. In terms of sales value, meanwhile, stores in the "home and garden" (almost 20 percent), "clothing" (almost 15 percent) and "consumer electronics" (about 12 percent) categories lead the way.How to stand out in the region

Typically, the provinces of Mazowieckie, Małopolskie and Śląskie, which account for as much as 50% of the value of sales, lead simultaneously in terms of the number of transactions in each industry. However, it is interesting to note the various "small" victories of other provinces in each category.

- Just two years ago, no one would have thought that a small, local company from Krapkowice would grow into a leader in the region's e-commerce industry. It all started with a niche - a specialized assortment of products sold stationary that take care of a good night's sleep. Our customers appreciated mattresses that fit perfectly and take care of proper spinal support during sleep. However, a local business in a small town was not enough for us. We wanted to expand in the market nationwide. We decided to move the business online only. This was a shot in the arm. It turned out that you don't need to move the headquarters of the company to a larger city, and it is enough to listen to the needs of customers. The advantage of running an online store is that we don't have to limit ourselves only to the local market even though the company's headquarters is in a small city," says lectus-materace.pl store representative Monika Mitulla.

The ziolowyzakatek.sklep.pl store in Podlaskie is further proof that location, even far from the center of the country, is not an obstacle. After studying in the capital, Miroslaw Angielczyk returned to the countryside and opened a company buying and producing herbs. Today his brand, Dary Natury, is a major producer of herbs in Europe, and Ziołowy Zakątek attracts customers from Poland and abroad with its aromatic scents. - It is not that difficult to launch a store on the Internet. In fact, what makes a brand successful is reaching the right group of customers with the right products. Since I myself am fascinated by herbs and nature, so I believed that there are more people like me. I was not disappointed. Our bio-products and herbs harvested in the purest corner of Poland are not only fragrant, but also unique goods. So the Podlasie location works in our favor - despite the distance from the center, we can offer what our customers long for," says Miroslaw Angielczyk, owner of the herbal company Dary Natury and originator of the ZielonyZakatek.pl store with herbs and products from Podlasie.

The data comes from more than 10,000 e-shops using the Shoper platform from September 2016 to June 2017.