May 14
Macedonian Business Community Ready for eCommerce – are Consumers?
On May 14th, over 50 AmCham Macedonia members and colleagues joined Bozidar Jankovski, Executive Director, Diners Club Macedonia, for a very lively discussion on eCommerce in Macedonia.
The event featured representatives from 3 key groups in the eCommerce development equation: companies already practicing or interested in eCommerce, IT companies offering eCommerce solutions and finally, financial institutions engaged in eCommerce. The event helped bolster a sense of community between the groups, provided a forum for knowledge transfer and allowed for business networking. Presenters included:
 
- Sandra Tomanovic, Business Director, Casys International – an independent regional card processor that processes 100% of online transactions in the country explained their role and highlighted industry challenges;
- Radovan Antik, IT Director, Tim Point – a distributor of world-renowned brands presented their new online shopping site: www.tim.com.mk developed by NextSense;
- Vasko Kronevski, CEO, NextSense – a leading IT solutions provider discussed the need for in-depth strategy considerations and consulting prior to selecting a technical solution;
- Biljana Donovska Gecheva, Director of Card Operations, UNIBank Skopje – an early-mover in eCommerce in Macedonia’s banking industry mentioned their efforts to raise general awareness;
- Lazar Popovski, Trade Director, Skopski Pazar – a major local retailer presented the company’s new online shopping site: www.doma.com.mk.
From the discussion, it was apparent that all key supplier groups are excited about and ready for eCommerce to become a more important element in the Macedonian economy, however, challenges remain. One audience member pointed out that he had attended a similar event in 1996 and was dismayed to be revisiting the theme 13 years later. Other audience members confirmed that while the eCommerce boom occurred much earlier in other countries, fundamental elements lacked in the Macedonian economy until quite recently (e.g., appropriate legislation, substantial credit card penetration, sufficient company and consumer awareness). The group agreed that each of the key elements was now in place and that modest growth could be observed in eCommerce today.
While many more local consumers now have credit cards than 10 years ago, one audience member estimated that perhaps 20% of all transactions in the country are at POS terminals in stores while 80% are at ATMs. This means that most transactions continued to be cash-based, probably reflecting a deeply-rooted fear of credit card abuse. One audience member proposed that the group form an association whose purpose would be to promote eCommerce in the country by educating consumers and businesspeople on the real risks and benefits. Many bank representatives present at the event echoed the need for educational outreach, given that local businesspeople often misunderstand the complex process of setting up an e-business, expecting their bank to serve as a one-stop-shop.
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