According to this, the B2C ecommerce market in Brazil increased by a two-figure percentage in 2012, and higher growth was recorded in 2013 with a small two-figure number in EUR billion.

"Internet penetration encourages the further growth of ecommerce in this particular country, with over half of the population being connected to internet in 2013. Price comparison websites were popular among internet users, with the highest ranking site having more visitors than the websites of top retailers. The primary product category among purchasers in Brazilian B2C ecommerce in 2012 was household appliances. Still, in the first half of 2013 fashion and accessories ranked highest in terms of sales."

"M-commerce and cross-border shopping are on the rise in Brazil, the same source indicates. In H1 2013, the mobile channel almost tripled its share in the total B2C ecommerce sales and a growth in the use of smartphones and tablets is under way."

"Additionally, cross-border online shopping has become popular in the respective country. The primary product categories in cross-border B2C ecommerce in 12 months to July 2013 were computer hardware and personal electronics. The US and China were preferred by Brazilian online shoppers."

"As to delivery options, over half of the B2C ecommerce orders placed in 2012 were free-of-charge. As to payment methods, credit card ranked first, followed by Boleto Bancario, a local interbank payment system."

"Local merchants such as online marketplace MercadoLibre, B2W Digital, with several ecommerce platforms, and Buscape, a price comparison website, were among the most active players in the B2C ecommerce market. They competed with global ecommerce companies like Wal-Mart and eBay, which were attracted by the market potential, especially in anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics."

"In what concerns regulations, the Brazilian government, starting with May 2013, have imposed that online shops in the country should provide a registration number and full contact details for the customers’ convenience."

According to this, Diebold Federal Credit Union (DFCU) has entered into an agreement with Diebold, a provider of self-service technology and security systems, to pilot an ATM without a card reader or PIN pad that relies solely on mobile authentication.

"When a consumer scans a unique QR code at the ATM using a smartphone, the ATM authenticates the user via cloud-hosted services to enable cardless transactions. With no card or PIN required, the solution eliminates the threats of card skimming and shoulder surfing at the ATM."

"In addition, the integration of the ATM with the Mobile Cash Access (MCA) solution allows consumers to pre-stage cash withdrawals on their smartphones. At the ATM, consumers authenticate themselves, and the ATM dispenses the preselected amount of cash. The MCA offering also allows financial institutions to provide an institution-branded mobile wallet solution without installing additional hardware on ATMs or point-of-sale (POS) terminals."

"Diebold and white-label mobile wallet provider Paydiant developed the cross-channel solutions and hold complementary patents on the technologies. Diebold's ATM interface features similar navigation and touch gestures, such as flick and drag. The ATM is also paperless, delivering receipts via the mobile wallet application."

According to this, only 41 percent of Canadian small businesses have their own website.

"Consequently they may be missing lucrative opportunities as Canadians come to rely on the Internet to help them make buying decisions, the CIRA suggests. Interestingly, bigger businesses aren't faring much better: just 45 percent of Canadian businesses are online."

"Why does it matter? Well, for example, 74 percent of Canadians reported that they search online, and compare goods and services, before committing to a purchase. With poor choice locally, two out of every three dollars Canadians spend online go south of the border, and we lag the US and the UK in terms of the percentage of our retail economy that is online (three per cent, versus seven and 23 percent, respectively)."

"The internet is in many ways a champion of freedom and defined by accessibility. But in Canada a great digital divide persists where lower-income households remain without internet, another issued tackled by the newly released 2014 CIRA Factbook."

"Only 62 percent of Canadians in the lowest income quartile have Internet access, compared with 95 percent of Canadians in the highest income quartile. This divide is also regional, the CIRA says, with British Columbia and Alberta enjoying the highest penetration rates, at around 86 percent, and Nunavut the lowest, at 27 percent."

"The good news is, after years of steady decline in international rankings, Canada saw significant gains in both the speed and price competitiveness of Internet service over the past year."

"Nearly 87 per cent of Canadian households overall are connected to the Internet, compared with 80 per cent in 2010, putting Canada 16th in the world and second among the G8 nations, just behind the UK."

Source GetElastic.com[/caption]

According to this, DHL, a global company in the logistics industry has announced its partnership with the Nigerian social commerce platform 3AL.

"The partnership, which is part of DHL`s contribution to the evolving ecommerce industry, is a result of the extension of broadband access availability and mobile data which grows in reliability and affordability, and of more people in Sub-Saharan Africa choosing to shop online."

"3AL allows businesses to communicate directly with existing and potential clients in a virtual community, post their various products and services to their market and close a sale. The platform is a business community which provides a platform for individuals and corporations to interface, network and exchange goods and services promoting retail through interactivity and convenience."

"The platform has been integrated with a dynamic payment settlement solution in partnership with a financial institution, and it offers a subscriber payment module. The payment solution is currently integrated with all switches recognised in Nigeria, which means it accepts all the credit and debit cards issued in the country. Under the terms of the agreement, DHL will provide courier services and, at the same time, ensure security, tracking, signature, specialization and delivery of items ordered by the customers."