APCOM

Electronic commerce market in Italy is growing fast. The affirmation is particularly right when talking of Lombardia, the leading region as for online sales, and of Milano, the second province as for companies specialised in the field. These are two of the main data emerging from a survey carried out by Milano's Chamber of Commerce which has been presented during the seminary 'Information technology and business security'.

In 2007 the country's companies devoted to e-commerce rose to 3,422, with a 36.6% increase compared to 2006 and 429.7% compared to 2004. Lombardia tops the region's ranking as for online sales, thanks to a 17.2% boost (+445.4% in the last three years). Lazio and Campania follow up, with 13.5% and 9.4% respectively). Milano's province houses 314 enterprises that are active in the sector and is second only to Roma's, which boasts 381.

Online buyers are above all men (27.2% against 17.2% of women) and young people between the ages of 25 and 34 (27.6%). The most purchased goods are travels and tourist stays (35.1%), then come books and magazines (25.4%), clothes and sport items (23.3%), movies and music (23%). In 71.7% of cases, e-commerce companies are individually run and upon the whole three out of four owners are under 40 years old.