E-shopping in Latvia: Do offers satisfy
demand?
Kārlis Zemītis, programmer, SWH Tehnoloģija, Latvia, Baltic IT Review 3
'2000
The author looks at the most popular and active E-commerce sites in Latvia.
Nobody who is at least slightly interested in the IT world is unaware of the dizzying successes of
the world’s first and largest electronic shopping site, Amazon.com. Many of us have used the site
to buy a book, CD, movie or other product from Amazon.
Electronic stores have been in operation in Latvia for more than a year now. Can they expect to
enjoy success which, when measured against the local scale, will be similar to those of Amazon
and other international E-stores? It’s hard to say. Clearly the number of clients for E-stores will
depend not only on the number of computers, the intensity of Internet use and
telecommunications tariffs. The main factors which will determine the number of purchases from
E-stores will be quite traditional in terms of the business world – the range of products, the
prices, the quality of services (albeit electronic in this instance) and, to be sure, the terms for
supplying the products. We choose E-stores to save time, after all. For this article, we have
chosen the information which we could obtain through a survey of Latvia’s leading E-stores
(none was willing to provide any information about the number of transactions which it had had
or about its monthly turnover). The reader can draw his or her own conclusions.
iTirgus
This is the only E-store in Latvia which truly creates the impression of a major commercial
outlet. Here one can purchase everything from automobile tires to concert tickets. Even though
there are a great many products, the necessary one can be found quickly and easily. The only
problem – it’s hard to choose from among so many products!
E-store
iTirgus
Web address
http://www.itirgus.com
Profile
Footwear, clothing, automotive
products, children's products,
tickets, construction, computer
technologies, gifts, publications,
electronics, office supplies,
furniture, music recordings,
video, food, products for pets,
watches and accessories,
household equipment, household
products, cosmetics, athletic and
leisure products, telephones,
health products
Number of different
products
Several thousand
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
In one or two working days
Payments:
Types of payment
• Payment cards
• Bank transfers after purchase
(payment orders can be printed
out, and money can be
transferred from any bank)
• Cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit VISA
cards
Eurocard/Mastercard
Unikarte
Unibanka Junior Card
Parex Maestro
Parex VISA Electron
eMols
DELFI eMols is the first site which allows anyone to establish his or her own store. eMols offers
two different kinds of stores – small eMols and large eMols. In the former case, one can post up
to 20 different products for which clients can pay only with cash upon delivery. The cost of the
small eMols is Ls 9.90 per month. In the large eMols, one can post up to 50 products, and clients
can pay not only in cash, but also with payment cards, including debit cards. The cost is Ls 24
per month.
E-store
eMols
Web address
http://www.e-mols.lv
Profile
Music, videos, DVDs,
software, clothing, GSM,
household equipment,
plumbing equipment, bicycles,
furniture
Number of different products In each category, between 4
and 84
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
• Small eMols – in two working
days
• Large e-Mols – in one day
Payments:
Types of payment
• Cash on delivery
• Payment cards
Accepted credit and debit cards Large eMols – any payment
card
Marketline
It is worth visiting the store and buying at least one item because buyers are entered into a lottery
in which the prize is a new Mercedes. Marketline specializes in the sale of electronics. There is
also an "Auctions" section where products can be purchased at a considerable discount.
E-store
Marketline
Web address
http://www.marketline.lv
Profile
Household equipment,
electronics, computers, cameras
Number of different products 39 categories
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
In Rīga and Rīga District – 1 to
3 days Elsewhere in Latvia – 5
days
Payments:
Types of payment
• Cash on delivery
• Payment of the bill at a bank
Accepted credit and debit cards The store does not accept
payment cards
Jānis Roze bookshop
The Web site of the Jānis Roze bookshop is not distinguished by its design or by the ability to
survey its products. Searches are done by entering a title or an author’s name. The descriptions of
the books are very short and dry. The only thing that distinguishes this E-store is its offer of
worldwide deliveries.
E-store
Jānis Roze bookshop
Web address
http://www.janis-roze.lv
Profile
Books
Number of different products 2,127 books at this writing
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries worldwide
Deliveries
Non-specific, depending on
whether delivery is made by
Latvia Post or DHL
Payments:
Types of payment
• Payment cards
• Cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit cards EuroCard/MasterCard
VISA
Edc/Maestro and VISA
Electron debit cards from Parex
Bank
Unikarte and the Unibanka
Junior Card from Unibanka
Kontinents
The Kontinents publishing house has divided up its store into catalogues – novels, adventure
books, books for children, books for teenagers, books about health and psychology. There are
lengthy reviews of all of the books. The ordering process, alas, is clumsy. The design of the site
and the ordering process are not particularly good, but the problems are countered by the ability
to wander into Kontinents’ virtual reading room to read a book.
E-store
Kontinents
Web address
http://www.kontinents.lv
Profile
Books
Number of different products 78 books at this writing
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Rīga
Deliveries
In two working days
Payments:
Types of payment
• Cash on delivery
• Bank transfer
Accepted credit and debit cards The store does not accept
payment cards
musicshop.lv
This is a typical music store with the ordinary products, only this one is on the Net. Navigation
on the site has been well thought out, and one can find the necessary recording in just a few
seconds. An unpleasant surprise occurs when one clicks on the title of a specific CD or MC in
hopes of seeing a list of songs or a photograph of the cover. Detailed information is available
only about DVDs. For true music lovers this will not be a problem, however, and the prices may
be a pleasant surprise.
E-store
musicshop.lv
Web address
http://www.netshop.lv
Profile
CD, MC, DVD, VHS
Number of different products A great many
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
In Rīga – in five days
Elsewhere in Latvia – in seven
days
Payments:
Types of payment
• Cash on delivery
• Payment cards
Accepted credit and debit cards EuroCard/MasterCard
VISA
Edc/Maestro and VISA
Electron debit cards from Parex
Bank
Unikarte and the Unibanka
Junior Card from Unibanka
Hebo
A very simple site with few products. Hebo provides rapid delivery and promises deliveries
anywhere in Latvia in two days’ time.
E-store
Hebo
Web address
http://www.hebo.lv
Profile
Athletic and tourism
equipment, products for home
and garden
Number of different products Nine categories
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
In two days
Payments:
Types of payment
Cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit cards The store does not accept
payment cards
The Internet store of Biroteh
If one wishes to shop at this site, one must have a very clear sense of the specific product that
one wishes to purchase, because there are no photographs or descriptions of products. This could
be satisfactory to an ongoing client who does not doubt the reputation of the company. Firms
which want to sell on the Internet should take a look at this page in order to understand that
opening a simple sales site is not all that difficult.
E-store
The Internet store of Biroteh
Web address
http://www.biroteh.lv/iveikals/i
ndex.html
Profile
Computers and office
equipment
Number of different products 14 categories
Logistics:
Coverage
Deliveries only in Latvia
Deliveries
In Rīga – in two days
Elsewhere in Latvia – in four
days
Payments:
Types of payment
Cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit cards The store does not accept
payment cards
Not quite stores
There are several sites on the Internet in Latvia which are not really E-stores, but which do
contain information about products that can be purchased.
E-store
AutoMoto
Web address
http://www.automoto.lv
Profile
Motor vehicles
Number of different products
More than 1,000 vehicles
If one wishes to purchase an automobile and does not have time to visit sales facilities, this site
provides photographs of cars and information about their location. There is a very extensive
database about new and used automobiles. Detailed searches are possible on the basis of models,
prices and productions years.
E-store
Perc.lv
Web address
http://www.perc.lv
Profile
Anything that someone wants to
sell
Perc.lv is an auction site at which all kinds of things can be purchased or sold. Information can
be obtained through an on-site catalogue, and products are bought by offering the best price.
Payment is usually made upon delivery. "Things for one lats" is the most interesting section.
E-store
Autonet.lv
Web address
http://www.autonet.lv
Profile
Motor vehicles
Number of different products
Changes very rapidly
This is a very recent site, and for the time being it has few automobiles, although the number is
on the rise very rapidly. The first 500 clients pay only Ls 1 for placing a one-month ad.
Autonet.lv works with the 118 information service in Latvia to allow people to find automobiles
through 118.