Hungary is a country located in Central Europe, it’s a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area. It’s rather a small country with a territory of 93,030 square kilometres and 10 million inhabitants. Hungary can’t complain about being lonely - it borders 7 other countries. Moreover, it’s considered to be a medium-high income country which can boast with a very high rate of social development. Hungarian is the official language there and Forint is the currency.
What Comes to Mind When You Think About Hungary?
Hungary is a real land of peppers - more than 1000 varieties of this vegetable are grown there. It’s even said that some types are 100 times hotter than chilli peppers. Probably there is also anyone who hasn’t heard about the famous goulash and Pálinka, traditional Hungarian alcohol. Although the local cuisine is extremely delicious, it won’t be the main focus of our today’s article. Now, we’d like to introduce you to the secrets of the local e-commerce market and SEO.The Hungarian E-commerce
The analysis of the Hungarian e-commerce market allows us to safely state that it’s developing impressively quickly and its best is yet to come. At the beginning of 2019, the revenues from this sector reached 2042 million dollars. Approximately 6.8 million Hungarians are active internet users which constitutes about 70% of the whole population. (source: https://www.statista.com/outlook/243/139/ecommerce/hungary) Entering the Hungarian market may turn out to be highly beneficial for foreign sellers. In Hungary, running your own online store and online marketing itself are comparably simple and cheap. However, as is often the case, the local e-commerce market has its own specific rules that need to be followed. International online stores have to compete with incredibly strong local market and the Hungarian tax which is one of the highest ones in the world (27%).Hungarian Online Shoppers - Who Are They and What do They Buy?
The largest percentage of Hungarians shopping online are people aged 25-55. When it comes to the most frequently chosen e-commerce sites we need to mention eBay, Alibaba, Booking.com or Amazon.com. Tesco, eMAG, Media Markt, Vatera.hu and Ujjé.hu are the greatest and the most popular online shops in Hungary. The local internet users are particularly fond of buying all kinds of electronics, household appliances and toys. Therefore, providing goods from these categories can significantly influence your popularity and position on the Hungarian e-commerce market.Payment Methods Make a Difference
Surprisingly, cash on delivery is the most common payment method in Hungary. Although each year more and more people are becoming credit card holders, most Hungarians still prefer to pay only after the ordered goods arrive at the indicated address. Thus, when you decide to enter the local market you need to remember about providing your potential customers with payment methods that will be the most convenient for them. It often happens that people resign from making a purchase if they can’t find preferred or trusted payment methods when making a transaction. It’s also worth mentioning that Hungarians are very keen on buying in foreign online shops. In this case, payment optimization can have a big impact on conversion rates. Therefore, if you’re running a foreign online shop, you necessarily need to remember about ensuring international payments, currency conversion and appropriate shipping methods. [caption id="attachment_13843" align="aligncenter" width="750"] source: https://www.statista.com/outlook/243/139/ecommerce/hungary#market-paymentTypes[/caption]M-commerce - Yes or Not?
It’s estimated that almost 90% of the Hungarian online shoppers make their purchases via computers. Thus, there is a considerable difference between the abovementioned majority and the left 10% of the tablet and smartphone buyers. Nevertheless, m-commerce is the future of online shopping worldwide and Hungary isn’t an exception here. Retail traders should keep it in mind while designing their online stores and product offers. Mobile optimization is a must if you want your business to stay successful and well-prospering.SEO in Hungary and the Potential of the Local E-commerce
SEO adjusted to the local reality and good content marketing are the keys to attract Hungarian customers. Note that almost 83% of the local internet users aged 16-73 are active members of various social media platforms which constitutes the highest rate in the European Union. A thorough insight into the mentality and market of the inhabitants of a given country is crucial to succeed. If you want to find out more, go to our article on international SEO services and online store sales strategy abroad: https://delante.co/international-seo-and-sales-strategy/ SEO in Hungary doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need to do is to take care of a suitable strategy and learn what to pay special attention to while performing SEO activities. It’s a necessity to analyze user behavior and implement elements that have the greatest influence on the visibility and popularity of your site, meaning:- translations which are optimized for e-commerce,
- currency exchange,
- local marketing and SEO,
- keywords,
- international payments,
- various payment methods,
- care for legal aspects.