Internet Use in Iranians Daily Life

Internet Usage Statistics in Iran

According to the latest statistics from the Internet World Stats (IWS) in June 2017, 56,700,000 Iranians are using the Internet in their daily lives, accounting for 70% of the population (Internet World Stats, 2017). This figure represents a 28% increase compared to 2016 and has doubled since 2015. The demographic composition of Iran, with a majority of young people, coupled with the popularity of instant messaging services like Telegram and WhatsApp, as well as social media platforms like Instagram, contributes significantly to this rapid growth. Additionally, the increasing usage of online services and e-commerce has further accelerated the rise in the number of Internet users in Iran.

Internet Use in Iranians' Daily Life

According to TechCrunch's 2017 statistics on online shopping, twenty-three percent of Iranians shop online at least once a month, 16% do so at least once a week, and 5% engage in daily online shopping (TechCrunch, 2017). In terms of the products purchased in the past three months, apps and digital goods lead the list at 34%, followed by travel tickets at 27%, games at 23%, and electronics at 22%. Besides apps and software, clothing emerges as the second most desired category at 23%, followed by event tickets at 19%, insurance at 19%, and electronics at 17%. Looking ahead, Iranians anticipate that in the next six months, foreign companies will provide greater access to electronics (65%), apps and software (43%), travel tickets (27%), games (25%), and clothing (21%).

Challenges and Concerns in Online Shopping

The primary concern for Iranian users remains the risk of fraud, followed by issues related to product quality and online payment security. The image below illustrates the top concerns of users when it comes to online shopping and explains why some individuals still prefer visiting physical stores over shopping online. Despite these concerns, Iran's online banking system is robust in terms of fraud protection. Hossein Entekhabi, Operations Director at Bamilo, a rapidly growing startup that has become the second-largest e-commerce company in Iran, states, “Iran’s online banking system, contrary to outside views, is pretty solid when it comes to fraud protection.” He adds that while there are challenges with invalid payments or terminated transactions on payment gateways, payment fraud is remarkably low, especially compared to the high rates of offline banking fraud.

Many are often surprised to learn how comfortable Iranians are with online payments. A substantial 87% of shoppers use their debit cards, which can be activated for online purchases through the Shetab network, an interbank card switch introduced back in 2002. This widespread adoption of digital payment methods highlights the evolving landscape of e-commerce in Iran and suggests a promising future for online transactions in the country.

References

• Internet World Stats. (2017). Internet Usage in Iran. Retrieved from [insert URL here]
• TechCrunch. (2017). Online Shopping Trends in Iran. Retrieved from [insert URL here]