A Cambodian rural worker uses the internet (Image: Oxfam) According to a recent announcement by the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, the market value of the Cambodian e-commerce sector increased to US$970 million last year, up more than 19 percent from US$813 million in 2020. Revenue was mainly from fashion, which accounted for $263.3 million, followed by electronics ($254.4 million), beauty, and health, personal and home care ($230.5 million). In fourth place is toys, hobbies and DIY ($63 million), ahead of food and beverages ($101.5 million), furniture ($46.3 million) and media ($11 million), data…
According to a recent announcement by the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, the market value of the Cambodian e-commerce sector increased to US$970 million last year, up more than 19 percent from US$813 million in 2020.
Revenue was mainly from fashion, which accounted for $263.3 million, followed by electronics ($254.4 million), beauty, and health, personal and home care ($230.5 million).
Toys, hobbies and DIY ($63 million) came in fourth, ahead of food and beverages ($101.5 million), furniture ($46.3 million) and media ($11 million), the data showed. Cambodia’s e-commerce revenue is expected to reach $1.78 billion by 2025, the announcement said.
Technological Developments and Growing Internet Users
Ministry spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the country’s e-commerce industry had boomed in recent years until they got used to it, thanks to the rapid development of technology, the rapid growth in the number of internet users and the Covid-19 pandemic that forced people to shop digitally from home.
“We see e-commerce as a potential industry that can help us facilitate economic recovery in the post-pandemic era,” Xinhua News Agency To quote Sovicheat.
He added that Cambodia has developed a relevant legal framework for the e-commerce sector and launched an e-commerce strategy in 2020.
Mass Internet Subscriptions
According to Cambodia’s telecom regulator, the country currently has about 17.7 million internet users, more than the population of about 17 million, as many have more than one subscription through various electronic devices or multiple SIM cards.
A report by the National Bank of Cambodia shows that by 2021, the total number of mobile payment users will be 13.6 million, up 42 percent from 9.56 million in 2020. This means a penetration rate of 80%.
The e-commerce sector in Cambodia is expected to grow further in the coming years as rural people have better access to the internet and digital technologies, and benefit from better transport infrastructure and logistics networks.
