The Brazilian market is a great opportunity for Shopify store owners looking to increase sales and expand their businesses. The country has the largest economy in South America. Brazil is also the home of 200 million people, and half of them have purchased on an international website at least once. The main reason is the high taxation in the country, which leads to elevated prices in the domestic shops. If you’re curious, you can read all the Brazilian market and the ecommerce industry overview here.

The evolution of online sales in Brazil has been positive and steady. According to E-bit’s Webshoppers 37 report, back in 2015, shoppers spent 41.3 billion Brazilian Reais on online sales. The numbers have been going up ever since. From $44.4 billion Reais in 2016 and $47.7 billion Reais in 2017, the estimate for 2018 is of $53.5 billion Reais.

An equivalent of $13.6 billion U.S. dollars.

The average value of an online shopping ticket in the country is also going up. From $388 Reais in 2015, to  $418.00 in 2016 , $420 in 2017, to the estimated value of $446 – or USD 114.00 – for 2018.

One of the main contributing factors for the growth of ecommerce in Brazil is the increasing popularization of smartphones amongst the population, making the access to ecommerce stores easier. Many are discovering the comfort of buying without leaving their homes. They are also interested in buying from abroad.

A total of 22.4 million Brazilians have bought from foreign ecommerce stores back in 2017. A number of different factors play role in the decision of shopping online from an international ecommerce. Even though consumers in Brazil have to wait on average 41 days for their products to arrive from foreign websites, they choose to buy them for the following reasons:

• Better prices (74%)

• More variety (53%)

• Product availability (29%)
• Better selection of products (27%)

To help you jumpstart in the Brazilian market, we have listed the top selling categories in Brazil on international ecommerces shops. And to give you an idea of what’s trending in the country right now so you can start marketing the right products on your Shopify, we used Google Trends to select a few products inside those categories.

Top 10 best selling products by categories in Brazil

1 – Electronics – Memory Cards

Electronics is the top-selling category in Brazil. The country’s consumers resort to international ecommerce stores to buy electronic products because of the lower prices. After some research, we learned that memory cards are really trending right now, compared to external HD drives and even SSDs.

Memory cards are mostly used in photography, video and mobile phones to store music and photos. They are also used on TVs, DVD recorders, portable video game devices, printers and more. They come in different capacities and speeds.

A lot of computers nowadays don’t have CD/DVD slots anymore. Memory cards are also a lot less fragile than CDs or DVDs, as that can easily take a scratch or two. A small accident will not result in data loss or an unreadable device.

Since they are so small, the biggest risk is that a user will lose them. That gives you the advantage of selling memory card cases alongside your product. You also have the opportunity of selling all-in-one readers for buyers who don’t have built-in memory card readers for all formats on their PC or laptop.

2 – Fashion and accessories – Watches

The second most popular category in Brazil is Fashion and Accessories. We learned that Brazilians search for watches on Google more than for sunglasses and lingerie (which are also very popular in their country). The niche has a wide range of products, such as dive watches, field watches, aviator watches, and dress watches. Smart watches are increasingly popular in Brazil, even though they also fall in the Electronics category.

There’s also a lot of room for growth. You can sell them in your shop together with cufflinks, jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories that go with them. The goal is to keep buyers browsing your website for as long as possible, so curate wisely.

3 – Computer Products – USB Drives

The line between Computer Products and Electronics is blurry, but going along with -bit’s report, we’re putting it as a different category. USB drives, or as they call it in Brazil, pen drives, are one of the most popular storage devices there are. Everyone uses them for a number of different purposes and since people are always passing them around, it’s always good to have a few extra ones.

Other popular computer products are HDMI cables, mini projectors, SSDs and external hard drives.

4 – Toys and games – Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops is the most popular video game in Brazil right now, according to Google Trends. Other big hits in the country are:

• FIFA 17

• Pro Evolution Soccer 2017
• Grand Theft Auto V

The reason why Brazilians shop for video games abroad is the same as usual: advantageable prices. Buying locally is a lot more expensive due to importation taxes.

5 – Home and Décor – Color Changing LED Lights

Home and Décor is a popular category in Brazil both because of the lower prices and novelties. A lot of the things on foreign ecommerce stores haven’t reached the Brazilian market yet. Some people just want to add a Pinterest-y look to their homes and have nowhere else to turn to when they are looking for specifics that are popular on home décor boards. Color Changing LED Lights are trending on both ecommerce giants and Google. Some of them can even play music. They come with built-in Bluetooth speakers!

Other popular items are much simpler, such as cute desk décor sets, bathroom sets, beautiful kitchen storage containers, towels, bed linens, funny doormats, and others.

6 – Cosmetics, Fragrances and Personal Care – Perfumes

Brazilians are crazy about luxury perfumes. The most popular names include Carolina Herrera, Dior, Armani, Lancôme, Dolce and Gabbana, and others. They are already expensive in their countries of origin, which means prices can skyrocket in traditional brick and mortar boutiques. Buying from international ecommerce stores is a solution Brazilians have found to deal with their cravings for smelling expensive.

Skincare is very important in the South American giant. Most Brazilians see a dermatologist frequently and have a serious skin care routine. Sunscreen is a must in the tropical country, especially facial. Locals give preference to lighter formulas that have a clean feel. The same goes for most cosmetics.

Brazil is a vain country, so there are lots to explore in this department. Hair products from big brands can help you drive your sales too. Kérastase, Neutrogena, Aussie, John Frieda, Paul Mitchell, Schwartzkopf – if you can get a good deal, your customers will be thrilled.

7 – Mobile Phone Accessories – Wireless Headphones

Mobile phone penetration is huge in Brazil, so mobile phone accessories is a profitable niche for ecommerce owners looking to sell in the country. And the line on the chart is quite clear: wireless headphones are all the rage right now. Stylish headsets and small earphones connected via Bluetooth can come quite handy. Tangled wires are a thing of the past.

But headphones aren’t the only mobile phone accessory Brazilians are crazy about right now. We advise you to stock up your ecommerce with portable speakers too. Wireless, of course.

Besides those, people are always in need of phone cases and screen protectors.

8 – Automotive Accessories – Stereos

There’s a reason why Automotive Accessories are on the top 10 best selling categories in Brazil. People there use cars a lot. Owners are proud of their vehicles and take good care of them. Commutes can be quite long, too. So investing in accessories is only logical. Car stereos are popular among Brazilian shoppers, especially because a lot of the models sold in the country don’t come with built-in systems.

Navigation systems, power adapters, and mobile phone supports are also very popular.

9 – Sports and leisure products – Sneakers

Brazilians hit the gym – a lot. So it’s only logical that they need proper shoes for their workout. Sneakers are also the shoe of choice for a lot of people in Brazil. It’s part of their style. Some people go as far as collecting them, as some brands are always dropping special collections.

The CrossFit craze is still strong in the country, and CrossFit climbing ropes are trending too. Other sports items that Brazilians like to buy online include fitness apparel, workout mats, towels and equipment to workout from home.

10 – Books – Business Oriented Books

Books never go out of style. Special editions of classics like J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings or J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter will always be at the top of the best-selling lists, but we have come across a recent phenomenon: business-oriented books. Maybe it’s because of the current economic scenario. The country has now a lot of entrepreneurs. People are looking to get more educated about business administration and economy, which a good thing. Self-help is also a best-selling genre, sometimes even targeting work life. Books that gave life to TV shows and movies are always ranking high.

Disclaimer: The currency conversions on this article were provided by Google on August 20th, 2018. You should confirm current rates before making any transactions that could be affected by changes in the exchange rates.