Chile E-Commerce Market Data [2022]
 In Ecommerce, Payments

Chile is one of the most advanced e-commerce markets in Latin America, with consumers spending 9% of their personal private consumption, according to Americas Market Intelligence (AMI). Chile’s average e-commerce per capita is US$975 in 2022, highly superior to the regional average of US$473, according to exclusive data from AMI.

The following is the most outstanding data on Chilean electronic commerce. As a complement to this article, please read our Infographic: How Chileans Buy Online.

Chile is the country with the highest per capita e-commerce expenditure, equivalent to US$975 a year.

Americas Market Intelligence

Chilean E-commerce Market Overview

According to BlackSip (with data from ecommerceDB), e-commerce in Chile reached US$7 billion n 2021, a 23% growth over 2020.

In addition, e-commerce sales in Chile reached US$498 million during CyberDay 2022 (May 30 and June 1, 2022). This meant a 15% reduction in comparison to the 2021 edition, according to the Cámara de Comercio de Santiago (CCS).

However, these reports do not specify the methodology for obtaining and analyzing data. In the case of the CCS, a national entity, it is difficult to find precise public data on e-commerce volume in Chile during 2021 or 2022.

At AMI, we use a specific methodology to calculate market size, working in all merchant verticals, PC, mobile and in-app purchases, crossborder e-commerce transactions using a locally issued card and all card-not-present transactions, such as recurring payments.

As such, AMI analysis indicates that in 2021 the e-commerce market in Chile had nearly US$16 billion in sales.

Chile E-commerce Projections

According to Americas Market Intelligence, the e-commerce market in Chile will grow by 20% in 2022 to reach a volume of US$19 billion.

In addition, between 2021 and 2025, the e-commerce market in Chile will grow by 19% to reach US$33 billion, according to AMI analysis.

The LatAm E-Commerce Datapack, 2020-2024

The LatAm E-Commerce Data Library

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The Best-Selling E-Commerce Products in Chile

According to a presentation by George Lever, Manager of Studies at CCS, the following are the product categories most purchased in Chile online. This rank is based on the percentage of Chilean online shoppers who purchased a product in these categories during the first quarter of 2022:

  1. Wardrobe (42%)
  2. Technology (27%)
  3. Food (25%)
  4. Footwear (24%)
  5. Beauty and personal care (16%)
  6. Health (15%)
  7. Accessories and gifts (14%)
  8. Sports (11%)
  9. Electric appliances (11%)
  10. Pets (10%)

Within the wardrobe category, women’s clothes are the best-selling products (67%), followed by men’s clothes (47%) and children’s (26%).

Within the technology category, the most popular products are those related to computing (51% of tech purchases), followed by high and mid-end smartphones (22%) and audio-related products (22%).

Within the food category, delivery foods are the most popular purchases (67%), followed by perishables (31%) and soft drinks (29%).

Lever’s presentation also shows those categories that people prefer to buy online (as opposed to brick and mortar stores) during the first quarter of 2022.

  1. Electric appliances (48 %)
  2. Techonology (47 %)
  3. Accessories (43 %)
  4. Beauty (43 %)
  5. Cleanliness (40 %)

All these data appear to be based on surveys, meaning asking consumers what they buy through electronic commerce in Chile. This is not as accurate as using transactional data, which is what we use in AMI to develop our LatAm E-Commerce Data Library.

Main Payment Methods Used in E-Commerce in Chile

According to CCS’s Lever presentation, these are the payment methods that people used more frequently to buy online in Chile during the first quarter of 2022:

  1. Credit cards
  2. Debit cards
  3. Store cards
  4. Bank transfers
  5. EPS
  6. Cash
  7. Prepaid-cards
  8. Digital wallets

According to AMI, these are the most important payment methods for e-commerce in Chile for their contribution to sales:

  1. Credit cards (57 %)
  2. Debit cards(21 %)
  3. Wallets (7 %)
  4. Bank transfers (7 %)
  5. Cash vouchers (3 %)
  6. Others* (3 %)

*Includes gift cards, cash-on-delivery, direct carrier billing, and other miscellaneous payment methods.

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Main Devices Used for E-Commerce Purchases in Chile

According to data shared by BlackSip, 36.2% of e-commerce expenditure in Chile corresponds to mobile purchases.

The above differs greatly from AMI’s data, which indicates:

  • In 2021, 50% of e-commerce purchases in Chile were made with a desktop computer
  • In 2021, 50% of e-commerce purchases in Chile were made with a mobile device

By 2022, e-commerce in Chile will be mostly mobile. According to Americas Market Intelligence:

  • 58% of e-commerce purchases in Chile in 2022 will be made with mobile devices
  • 42% of e-commerce purchases in Chile in 2022 will be made with a desktop

Customer Insights into Chilean E-Commerce Shoppers

According to CCS reports, these are some key factors about the e-commerce landscape in Chile that we should take into account:

  • Electronic commerce in Chile remains at a high threshold of satisfaction. In March 2022, 85% of users rated their first shopping experience as good or very good.
  • Sustainability is not yet a decisive factor in the success of brands that sell online. In the first quarter of 2022, only 14% of users declared looking at environmental responsibility as a decisive attribute for their purchase. However, concern about sustainability has increased since 2021.
  • Big retailers and supermarkets have the largest number of online shoppers in Chile, followed y international online stores and specialty online stores. A smaller percentage of customers use social media, delivery apps and marketplaces to buy online.

And according to BlackSip report:

  • Mobile purchases are projected to grow in Chile. As so, there will be a need for specific marketing strategies according to each device or channel.

  • There are two potential types of consumers in Chile: the omnichannel consumer, who looks for seamlessly shopping experiences and products with added value, and the saver customer, who is eager to look for discounts and “experience DIY to its maximum”.

  • Mobile commerce will be the preferred system for buying online, mostly used by young people.

Going Further

#1 Our LatAm E-Commerce Data Library contains extensive data on Chile. Click here to find out how to order a copy.

#2 For more specific data, AMI specializes in research and market intelligence for the Chilean and LatAm e-commerce markets in a number of key areas:

  • Identifying the major payment methods used in Chile’s e-commerce market to help merchants with strategic planning, market entry and market expansion
  • Helping merchants understand the cross-border e-commerce potential in Chile and the practices that can increase cross-border sales
  • Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to help e-commerce merchants focused on Chile to analyze their customer data for a deeper understanding of e-commerce shopper behavior and tendencies so as to refine their marketing tactics, messaging and consumer outreach

Contact us if your company has specific data, market research or market intelligence needs regarding the e-commerce market in Latin America or in specific markets such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.


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