Brazil has witnessed a boost in the number of individuals buying online. Statistics indicate the country registered 9.5 million web shoppers in 2007, as compared to 4.8 million in 2005, 2.6 million buyers in 2003 and 1.1 million in 2001.

E-commerce turnover almost quadrupled and reached USD 2.2 billion between the first half of 2005 and 2008, while in 2007 the e-commerce market expanded by 43 percent.  Brazil is among the countries with the highest number of adult internet users who have made a purchase online in December 2007, next to Japan and UK. 79 percent of Brazilian internet users have made at least one online purchase within the above-mentioned period, as compared to 82 percent of Japan-based web users. 78 percent of internet users have done so in Germany, 76 percent of Australians have bought at least an item online and 71 percent of Chinese internet users have made an online purchase. The last positions were occupied by France and US, with 66 percent and 63 percent respectively. In Brazil, books, magazines and newspapers are top e-commerce categories with a 17 percent market share in 2007.

49.5 percent of Brazil's online buyers prefer to pay for their purchases by means of credit card, while 39 percent use a banking ticket for the same purpose. Less than 10 percent of online buyers turn to other payment methods, such as debit or electronic transfer, and payment on delivery.

Data was published by e-bit, Valor Economico, Ipsos Public Affairs.