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.
Last Published: 8/5/2019

Overview

Internet usage rose to 50 percent of the  population in2017 from 46.5 percent in 2016.  The development of the country’s ITC infrastructure has increased access to the Internet and lowered costs, although electronic commerce still has a limited market reach.

Notable developments in the consumer to business market segment include the growing popularity of electronic commerce for bill payments through the commercial banks and mobile phone money transfers.
 

Current Market Trends

Fiji has a large “unbanked” population and access to financial products and services is low in rural areas.  The Fiji government is committed to accelerating the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth.  Through the Fiji Government-to-Person (G2P) electronic welfare payment initiative (which switched from voucher-based payments to electronic transfers to a bank account), other major institutions such as the country’s superannuation fund, the Fiji National Provident Fund, and the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, which distributes land lease payments, are also making payments through banking and electronic channels.  Note: iTaukei is the term used to identify indiginous Fijians.

In 2019, the government continued to promote its cashless and paperless banking initiatives and in partnership with the Association of Banks in Fiji waived the Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) transaction fee for local debit card holders. Mobile eCommerce

Mobile cellular subscriptions in 2017 rose to 114.2 per 100 people.  The mobile service provider Vodafone’s M-PAISA program allows the transmission and receipt of money using the mobile phone network.  The M-PAISA program has over 194 agents (non-bank retail outlets) across the country and partners with 27 registered businesses.
 

Social Media

There were about 470,000 Facebook users in Fiji in 2017.  Many informal and micro-home based businesses use social media as a tool to promote their services and products.

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.