Canadian online sales increased at a double-digit pace for the sixth consecutive year in 2007, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.
Total private and public sector Internet sales hit an estimated $62.7 billion, up 26% from 2006, according to the report.
Despite the continued strong growth, e-commerce still represents a relatively small fraction of total economic activity. In 2007, online sales of private sector firms accounted for just less than 2% of total operating revenue, although this was still an increase from less than 1% five years earlier, the report continued.
In addition, the government agency found that while online sales increased, the proportion of companies that sold goods and services online remained stable at about 8%. In the public sector, some 16% of organizations reported e-commerce sales.
Private sector businesses dominated online sales in 2007. E-commerce by private sector firms increased 25% to $58.2 billion, while public sector e-commerce rose 30% to almost $4.5 billion.
In the private sector, business-to-business sales accounted for 62% of online sales in 2007, down from 68% in 2006. The proportion of online business-to-consumer sales climbed from 32% to 38%.
It is estimated that customers outside Canada generated almost one out of every five dollars (19%) in online sales in the private sector, similar to the last two years.
The 2007 Survey of Electronic Commerce and Technology covered over 19,000 enterprises across the economy, except for local governments.
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