E-Stores in Estonia: an Optional Selection

E-stores in Estonia: An Optional Selection

Baltic IT Review 3 '2000

Estonians are well known as being fond of the Internet. It is estimated that approximately one-fifth of Estonia’s residents use the Net. But what about E-shopping through the World Wide Web?
Today there are more than 50 stores in Estonia which offer on-line services to consumers. These E-stores run the gamut, beginning with independent E-shops (often specializing in a narrow product range – books, furniture, etc.), continuing through E-malls that contain several stores, and ending with large department E-stores which contain a broad selection of products. The number of on-line shops is rapidly increasing, and there are several dozen new E-stores in Estonia which are taking their first steps into the world of E-commerce or are undergoing testing.
Here you will find data about a limited selection of existing E-stores. The selection was perhaps a bit arbitrary, but its aim was to illustrate the various kinds of E-stores that exist in Estonia. We were able to ascertain data about turnover and the monthly volume of transactions at most of these stores.
We hope that in one of the future issues of this journal we will be able to present you with a more comprehensive article on E-shopping in Estonia.

<big>Interneti Kaubamaja</big>
This is the first Internet food supermarket in Estonia, established in 1997. Items are arranged in 27 departments (including a pharmacy, a perfumery, household products, etc.). Delivery date and time can be chosen by the customer (fixed time intervals within three days).

E-store / Interneti Kaubamaja /
Web address / 
Profile / Food supermarket
Number of different products / ~6,000
Logistics:
Coverage / Tallinn, Estonia
Deliveries / • Within 4 hours
• Home, office
Payment: / Cash on delivery, prepayment by bank transfer
Types of payment / COD, prepayment
Upper limit (USD) / USD 250
Accepted credit and debit cards / None

<big>Eerung</big>
Eerung has been producing pine furniture for seven years. Its on-line shop was opened in July 2000, and the company plans to sell its products all over Europe in the future. Selling furniture over the Web is absolutely different from selling books and CDs. The customer must have a good idea of what he or she is buying. This site pays a lot of attention to illustrations, including animated 3D depictions of the products. The site offers secure on-line payment through Hanza.net and U-Net.

E-store / Eerung /
Web address / 
Profile / Furniture
Number of different products / 50
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia
Deliveries / • 2–3 working days
• To door
Payment:
Types of payment / <smallPrepayment by bank transfer (usual or Internet)</small
Accepted credit and debit cards / None
Turnover (USD/month) / ~4,000
Number of deals (month) / 40–60

<big>Atlantic Balsver</big>
The Atlantic Balsver E-store is based on self-produced software which is optimized for operational speed and information about products. Items are arranged in departments and can easily be found by logical navigation. There is no search function for items by name. Most product descriptions include pictures, schemes or instructions, depending on the product characteristics. The E-store has its own delivery vehicles. The cost of transport in the Tallinn area is calculated automatically.

E-store / Atlantic Balsver /
Web address / 
Profile / Building materials, tools, hausehold equipment
Number of different products / ~3,200 (increasing)
Logistics:
Coverage / Estonia
Deliveries / • 1–3 working days
• Delivery available to homes, offices, building objects
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-payment by bank transfer, cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit cards / None
Turnover (USD/month) / 4,500–5,500
Number of deals (month) / ~25

<big>Internetipood.ee</big>
Internetipood.ee is a small, developing E-shop. Departments are arranged logically by product type. Almost every product has a picture and a good description. Products can also be found using the search engine, typing in the product name or the product description. This E-shop does not accept payments by credit cards, but customer information is protected by SSL. Customer support is available by E-mail or by phone.

E-store / Internetipood.ee /
Web address / 
Profile / Computer components, peripherals & acessories, software, professional tools, heating and water systems, humidifiers
Number of different products / 500–600
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia
Deliveries / • 1–4 working days
• Delivery available to homes (in Tallinn), local post offices, local bus stations
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-pay by bank transfer
Accepted credit and debit cards / None
Turnover (USD/month) / ~6,500
Number of deals (month) / ~60

<big>DELFI Kaubamaja</big>
DELFI Kaubamaja is an E-mall which operates within the Estonian Internet portal DELFI.ee. DELFI Kaubamaja is one of the largest E-malls in Estonia in terms of orders and turnover. Special bonuses and discounts are offered for registered customers. The shops are operated by various partners who are well-known in conventional business operations, too.

E-store / DELFI Kaubamaja /
Web address / 
Profile / E-mall (music, books, videos, tickets, computers, building materials, athletic equipment - the list of E-shops is expanding in September)
Number of different products / ~7,000
Logistics:
Coverage / Estonia, Scandinavia, USA, Canada
Deliveries / • Goods in stock: in 1-2 days, Out of stock: in 10 days max. (in Estonia)
• Door to door (to home, to workplace) by courier, by post.
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-payment via bank transfer (usual and Internet) and credit card (starting in September), credit clients (in some shops)
Accepted credit and debit cards / Starting September 2000
Turnover (USD/month) / ~30,000 (in July 2000)
Number of deals (month) / 662 in July 2000

<big>Interneti Kaubakeskus</big>
The selection of merchandise at this E-store is almost the same as in ordinary stores, but in some cases prices are much lower. For customers, the store is easy to use and detailed – every product has a picture and a description. Logical navigation and the search function can be used to find items. There are special monthly discount offers for customers, too.

E-store / Interneti Kaubakeskus
(Internet Store Center) /
Web address / 
Profile / Department store, mostly hausehold equipment, clothes and footwear
Number of different products / ~5,000 items
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia and Latvia
Deliveries / • 1–14 working days
• To home and to post office
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-payment by bank, payment when delivered at post office
Accepted credit and debit cards / Only payments via Hanza.net and U-Net
Turnover (USD/month) / ~7,000 USD
Number of deals (month) / ~50/month

<big>Tarkvaramaja</big>
Tarkvaramaja.ee is the largest specialized software E-shop in Estonia, offering products from more than 26 software producers. It also has a good on-line information system on software and, especially, on software licensing (including FAQ, etc.). Items can be found by navigation (manufacturer and product names), as well as by use of a search engine.

E-store / Tarkvaramaja –
SoftwareHouse /
Web address / 
Profile / Software shop
Number of different products / ~3,500 products
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia
Deliveries / • Depends on the product, from 1 day to 2-3 weeks
• Delivery available to homes, offices, post offices, cargo
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-pay by bank transfer, for major clients there are also credit possibilities
Accepted credit and debit cards / None
Turnover (USD/month) / ~2,500 
Number of deals (month) / 15–25

<big>Kodutehnika.ee</big>
A large selection of domestic appliances with descriptions and pictures included. Items can be selected by navigation and by the use of a search engine (filtration is available by brand, category, price, etc.). Purchases of more than EEK 3,000 (about USD 170) are delivered free of charge.

E-store / Kodutehnika.ee /
Web address / 
Profile / Domestic appliances
Number of different products / More than 2,000, arranged in 15 categories
Logistics:
Coverage / Estonia
Deliveries / • 1–15 days
• Local post office, directly to buyer
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-payment, cash on delivery
Accepted credit and debit cards / None
Turnover (USD/month) / ~3,000 
Number of deals (month) / ~10

<big>Index100</big>
Index 100 has the largest selection of products among Estonia’s E-stores. The product categories are arranged logically, descriptions are thorough and detailed (some 99% of the products are illustrated with pictures), items can be found through logical navigation or the search feature. The account information of customers is well-protected, and on-line payment options are secure. Payment information is entered directly into the secure on-line environments of banks. There is a listing of New Products, a section of discounted products, and a consumer advice link.

E-store / Index100 /
Web address / 
Profile / Universal department store featuring products and services, from children's items to automobiles
Number of different products / Estonian-language store has more than 13,000 items; Russian-language store currently has ~5,000 products
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia
Deliveries / • 1–3 working days
• Delivery available to homes, local post offices, local gas stations
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-pay by bank transfer, credit card, check/money order
Accepted credit and debit cards / Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Internet bank payments via Hanza.net and U-Net
Turnover (USD/month) / ~12,500
Number of deals (month) / ~145

<big>OK Online</big>
OK Online began operations in the spring of 1999. It is an on-line information and sales system. Registered customers receive bonuses and discounts on their purchases. The company offers on-line leasing, which has become very popular. A customer can fill in a leasing application on the Internet and receive an answer from the relevant bank in two or three hours. Goods are delivered by a courier after the initial payment to the address given by the customer along with all necessary documents.

E-store / OK Online /
Web address / 
Profile / Computer store
Number of different products / Computers & peripherals, accessories, cellular phones, software, etc. – a total of more than 2,400 items
Logistics:
Coverage / Within Estonia
Deliveries / • 1–3 working days
• Delivery available to homes, local post offices.
Payment:
Types of payment / Pre-pay by bank transfer, cash, OnLine Leasing
Accepted credit and debit cards / Internet bank payments via Hanza.net and U-Net
Turnover (USD/month) / ~31,000
Number of deals (month) / ~90