Statistics 3rd Quarter 2000 Technology Statistics Factbook.net E-commerce in Bulgaria is slowly making its way into business and society. Several Bulgarian companies have already started to actively promote purchases from the Internet and to encourage and facilitate e-commerce. The Bulgarian law on electronic documents and electronic signature is currently being revised by the Council of Ministers and then will be voted by the Bulgarian Parliament in autumn Parliament session. The law which will create legal framework for electronic transactions, is expected to increase the volume of electronic transactions and electronic trade in Bulgaria. That is primarily because of the type of consumer behavior Bulgarians have.
Most people still prefer to go to local grocery and other stores and make the necessary purchases.
In contrast, consumers make almost all purchases in cash. However, consumers that have credit or debit cards can initiate electronic payments and since recently they can also pay telephone, electrical and other bills. Most of the purchases that Bulgarian end-users make on the Internet are of high quality video, tape recordering appliances, cameras and other electrical appliances. Payment of government and local taxes and submitting of documents, for example, would be something highly desirable and there are opportunities for U.S. companies that could offer local governments and organizations software and know-how for that. E-financial services are also a new trend in the Bulgarian banking and financial system.