Sluggish online consumer traffic
Although Polish internet trade volume is still incomparable to those in western countries, its growth in 2004 was 200 percent. Details reveal, however, that some 76 percent of e-transactions are connected with the airline industry. Of these, mostly no-frills operators fueled the growth. Other sectors, such as multimedia, computer hardware or travel products, rose less impressively. And of the 650 online shops, only a dozen are profitable.
The country's largest online media shop and bookstore, Merlin.pl, has taken the long road to reach successful results. In 2004, for the first time since its launch in 1998, the company enjoyed a net gain, but exact figures are still unavailable.
On the other hand, Travelplanet, a virtual travel agency, has managed to break even relatively early. The company, founded four years ago, was able to generate a modest zł.11,000 profit in 2003 and repeat the result last year, with turnover almost doubling to zł.17 million. Its owner, investment fund MCI, plans to float Travelplanet on the WSE in June, although potential investors might be discouraged by smaller profit forecasts for 2005.
"We had a 50 percent growth in sales last year and we would like to keep it this way," says the vice-president of Merlin, Mirosława Puczko, adding that turnover reached zł.31 million.
The country's largest online media shop and bookstore, Merlin.pl, has taken the long road to reach successful results. In 2004, for the first time since its launch in 1998, the company enjoyed a net gain, but exact figures are still unavailable.
On the other hand, Travelplanet, a virtual travel agency, has managed to break even relatively early. The company, founded four years ago, was able to generate a modest zł.11,000 profit in 2003 and repeat the result last year, with turnover almost doubling to zł.17 million. Its owner, investment fund MCI, plans to float Travelplanet on the WSE in June, although potential investors might be discouraged by smaller profit forecasts for 2005.
"We had a 50 percent growth in sales last year and we would like to keep it this way," says the vice-president of Merlin, Mirosława Puczko, adding that turnover reached zł.31 million.
