Tunisia - eCommerce Tunisia - eCommerce
Overview
Tunisian credit cards are not approved for transactions in currencies other than the dinar and therefore cannot be used for purchases made on foreign commercial internet sites. Debit and credit cards can be used for domestic internet payment for services. Cash on delivery is also a common payment option.
The Tunisian postal service operates an electronic payment system called the e-dinar. Customers establish an account and replenish it by purchasing credit at a post office. Many public services in Tunisia can be paid using e-dinars.
Current Market Trends
Most Tunisian banks allow account holders to use bank-affiliated credit and debit cards to make domestic online purchases denominated in dinars. The Tunisian dinar is a non-convertible currency, so on-line purchases in foreign currency are not allowed, and few Tunisians make cross-border purchases via eCommerce. In recognition of this limitation, the Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy launched a Digital Technology Charge Card in May 2015 for Tunisians with college degrees, which allows these cardholders to make online purchases of software, mobile applications, web services, and publications in support of entrepreneurial activities. Individual users are limited to 1,000 dinars (about $377) in annual purchases. The program has been expanded to include Tunisian IT companies, which are allotted up to 10,000 dinars (about $3,770) annually to purchase on-line services, including server hosting and freelance programming services. In September 2018, Parliament passed the Start-Up Act, which permits qualified companies to purchase up to 100,000 Tunisian dinars ($33,336) worth of foreign goods in foreign currency via special “technological debit cards.”
Domestic eCommerce (B2C)
The general lack of credit cards and online payment systems has resulted in Tunisia’s eCommerce markets remaining largely local, with online orders paid for with cash on delivery. Tunisians prefer to pay as goods are delivered due to concerns about quality of goods, reliability of delivery, and lack of a regulatory infrastructure to demand refunds if the goods are not as promised. Most Tunisian banks offer account holders bank-affiliated credit and debit cards that can be used on domestic websites only. General purpose eCommerce retail sites similar to Amazon do not exist in Tunisia, but rather individual retailers and service providers offer their own online checkout systems tailored to Tunisian credit and debit cards. The lack of government support for cross-border flows in eCommerce retards further development of the domestic eCommerce market.
Cross-Border eCommerce
Given the Tunisian dinar’s status as a non-convertible currency, cross-border eCommerce purchases are not possible apart from specific allowances granted from the Tunisian Central Bank, which has historically opposed such transactions. Following passage of the Start-Up Act, the Central Bank outlined a procedure for qualified companies to open hard currency accounts. However, cross-border eCommerce purchases are negligible.
B2B eCommerce
Due to the general lack of credit cards and on-line payment systems, Tunisia’s domestic B2B eCommerce markets are underdeveloped.
eCommerce Services
Due to the general lack of credit cards and online payment systems, Tunisia’s eCommerce markets –including those supporting eCommerce service providers –are underdeveloped.
eCommerce Intellectual Property Rights
Tunisia’s National Institute for Standardization and Industrial Property recognizes and enforces foreign patents registered in Tunisia, including those dedicated to eCommerce. Tunisian law affords foreign businesses treatment equal to that afforded Tunisian nationals. Tunisia has also updated its legislation to meet the requirement of the WTO agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS). For the “.TN” country-specific top level domain name, the Tunisian Internet Authority responds to complaints of cybersquatting from trademark owners and will transfer domain registrations to complainants upon demonstration that the accused website is used to pass off counterfeit goods.
Popular eCommerce Sites
Popular local sites include jumia.com.tn. Due to the general lack of credit cards and on-line payment systems, Tunisian consumers do not typically use B2B, B2C, and B2G eCommerce platforms.
Online Payment
Until recently, Tunisian law had mandated that only certified financial institutions with banking licenses are allowed to manage financial transactions. Consequently, electronic payment platforms required participation from at least one Tunisian bank, with payments only between existing Tunisian bank accounts. Central Bank circular 2018-16, issued on December 31, 2018, allowed new e-payment providers to enter the market.
The GoT is making efforts to promote digital payments. In May 2019, the Ministry of Finance introduced a set of new digital services to facilitate the payment of bills, taxes, and other charges by citizens and businesses. This set of new digital services, launched by the Ministry of Finance, is part of the national strategy to reduce the use of cash and increase electronic payments.
Mobile eCommerce
Several mobile phone network providers, e.g., Ooredoo and Tunisie Telecom, have created on-line accounts through which users can purchase data and phone services using domestic bank accounts and pre-paid mobile cards. Funds can also be moved from one user’s account to another within the same network. In April 2018, The Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy announced the gradual start of mobile money transfer services by telecom operators among bank and postal accounts.
Digital Marketing
Tunisia’s Digital Technology Charge Card program, launched by the Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy in May 2015, allows users to purchase digital marketing services on-line. Business contacts note that this program has allowed them to purchase targeted “key word” advertising services directly from companies such as Google and Facebook. The program remains limited, however, as participating marketing companies within Tunisia quickly exceed their yearly allowances of 1,000 dinars per individual or 10,000 dinars per IT company. Permission to exceed this amount requires a formal request to the Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy and final approval from the Tunisian Central Bank, which is rare.
Major Buying Holidays
There are no significant consumer “buying holidays” for eCommerce in Tunisia. During the month of Ramadan, Tunisian consumption increases by 25% across all consumer categories. Black Friday was also introduced in 2018 and is becoming a major buying day.
Social Media
Tunisia’s social media climate is open, voluminous, and lively. Facebook enjoys a dominant market position, with most Tunisian businesses and individuals maintaining an active online presence through the free platform to promote products and services and communicate with customers rather than hosting their own websites. Twitter is popular amongst the intelligentsia and closely followed by political and media operatives. In March 2017, Facebook and Google reached a deal with leading Tunisian Internet provider TOPNET to host content on Tunisian servers, which will allow the companies to more quickly serve the growing content demands of Tunisia’s Internet users. WhatsApp andn Instagram are also popular social media outlets.