Global e-commerce will reach $6.9 trillion in 2004, capturing 8.5% of the world’s sales of goods and services with North America contributing nearly $3.5 trillion of this amount, said a report from Forrester Research Inc. But North America’s dominance will fade as e-commerce in Western Europe and Asian-Pacific countries begin to grow hyperactively in 2002.
The report added that Western European e-commerce is expected to begin growing hyperactively next year. By 2004, that region’s e-commerce will hit $1.5 trillion, led by the aggressive efforts of industry giants and the growth of online marketplaces.
Online commercial activity in the Asia-Pacific region will grow hyperactively by 2004, when technology exports and national commitments to online trade will drive $1.6 trillion or more than 8% of all sales online. But the study cautioned that activities in the region will not develop uniformly because of policy and infrastructural hurdles at the national level.
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