Indonesia to lead S-E Asian online shopping boom
Middle class will be driving force as region experiences rapid increase in Web access
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Jakarta
INDONESIA is set to lead a boom in online shopping across South-east Asia as Internet access explodes and investors pour money into a rapidly growing host of retail startups, analysts have said. Much like China several years ago, the region is enjoying a rapid increase in Web access that observers say is starting to drive a fundamental shift in shopping habits among the emerging middle class.
According to a recent report by investment bank UBS, business-to-consumer e-commerce in South-east Asia will increase at least five-fold by 2020, and could reach US$35 billion a year. It cited strong growth in Thailand and the Philippines but said that Indonesia, the region's biggest economy, was the most promising market despite modest online sales and low Internet penetration.
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