FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company, has announced the results of its second SME Export Report, conducted by Harris Interactive among 4,500 European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). All figures refer to SMEs currently exporting. E-commerce is boosting optimism among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
European perception.
According to the news portal Ecommerce News, despite unpredictable economic conditions in Europe over the past twelve months, the SME Export Report has found that small and medium-sized exporting enterprises (SMEs) across Europe are thriving and looking for opportunities abroad. 53% of them export to other continents, compared to 2015 when almost a third (29%) of SMEs exported to other regions. Moreover, exports generate 65% of the total revenues of European SME exporters, highlighting the importance of exploring international markets in order to grow and prosper.
“It is good to see that the European SME community remains optimistic about its export and growth prospects,” says David Binks, President FedEx Europe and CEO of TNT. “The SME Export Report has highlighted that SMEs recognise the importance of exporting to increase their revenues, with e-commerce playing a crucial role in this. The merging of physical and digital networks has made the world even more connected, presenting more possibilities for exports and contributing to the growth of SMEs, while boosting global competitiveness”.
E-commerce growth expected to continue in Spain
E-commerce is clearly a growth area for SMEs: nearly 9 out of 10 (86%) Spanish small and medium-sized exporting companies already generate revenue through e-commerce, a figure that is surprisingly higher than the European average (80%). Compared to last year, 33% of Spanish exporting SMEs have reported higher revenues through e-commerce in the last 12 months, and confidence in e-commerce continues to grow. Thus, 39% of them forecast continued growth in the coming year. This growth in online trade is mainly attributed to being able to reach export markets more easily (41%) and having a more secure payment system (40%).
In line with the boom in e-commerce, transactions via mobile devices (m-commerce) and social media platforms (social media transactions) are also increasing. 69% of Spanish exporting SMEs already generate revenue through m-commerce, thanks to improvements in websites and mobile applications. Moreover, 79% of exporting SMEs also use social media platforms for sales purposes, especially traditional networks such as Facebook (49%) and instant messaging applications (34%).
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