Describes how widely e-Commerce is used, the primary sectors that sell through e-commerce, and how much product/service in each sector is sold through e-commerce versus brick-and-mortar retail. Includes what a company needs to know to take advantage of e-commerce in the local market and , reputable, prominent B2B websites.

E-commerce in Mauritius is limited, but its use is on the rise.  The main obstacle is that the speed and bandwidth required for modern e-commerce transactions are lacking in some of the more remote areas.  To address this limitation, the country has upgraded to fiber-broadband with speeds between 10MB and 30MB.  While many Mauritians use websites more for information gathering than for purchasing, this is expected to change as companies use new online strategies to promote their products.  Many Mauritian businesses still do not maintain websites, preferring to use Facebook to reach their target market.  Nevertheless, some companies are investing in e-commerce platforms for services such as finding deals on hotels and activities or finding a gardener or housekeeper.  Examples include marideal.mu, priceguru.mu, and mychauffeur.mu.

Banking is fairly sophisticated and, while cash payments remain the norm, payment by debit/credit cards is popular, gradually replacing cash payment in malls, supermarkets, and restaurants.  Internet banking is increasingly used by consumers.  According to Bank of Mauritius statistics, internet banking transactions increased from 315,736 in February 2018 to 359,646 in February 2019.  Major banks in Mauritius have been heavily investing in mobile banking since 2011. Mobile banking transactions increased from 758,901 in February 2018 to 1,028,234 in February 2019.
 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.