Covid-19, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Internet, Markets and Companies, Technology

Online sales to private individuals accounted for 2% of sales revenue and online sales to other businesses and public authorities for 3%. The share of sales via website only made up 0.3% of total revenue.

The share of businesses selling their products online has remained stable over the past five years. Tiina Parson, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that as the survey of businesses' use of IT only covered last year, the impact of the coronavirus is not reflected in the results.

"Last year, 17% of businesses sold their products via their website or app," she said.

Over three-quarters of businesses have their own website, and 19% of them provide the option to order or book products online. 3% of businesses sold their products on e-commerce marketplaces.

Six% of businesses sold their products via EDI last year, the option was used most by businesses in retail and wholesale industries, food and drink production, computer, electronics, optical and chemical industries. The share of sales via EDI accounted for 9% of businesses' total sales revenue.

In terms of the share of e-commerce, Estonia placed 15th among member states of the European Union.

"It is important to note about the e-commerce data published by Eurostat that the activity areas listed do not include businesses in agriculture, education and health care. As requested by local consumers, these areas have been included in the Estonian survey, as a result of which there may be some differences in the datasets," Parson said.

Based on the survey method, orders placed via a computer or online network in an environment developed specifically for this purpose constitute e-commerce. Payment for and delivery of the goods and services do not need to be carried out via said networks.