Tunisia’s e-commerce market is entering a new phase. After years of being constrained by cash-on-delivery habits, limited digital payment adoption and consumer concerns about online transactions, the country is gradually building the foundations of a more digital retail economy.
The transformation is not simply a question of how many people shop online. The more important development is the increasing use of digital payment infrastructure, which could reshape the economics of online retail, improve transaction traceability and create new opportunities for merchants able to build consumer trust.
The latest available figures suggest that this transition is already underway. According to data from the Central Bank of Tunisia, electronic payments reached 19.3 million transactions in 2025, with a total value of approximately TND 1.375 billion. Around 1,005 websites were using electronic payment mechanisms during the year.
From an emerging market to a more structured digital economy
The evolution becomes clearer when comparing these figures with 2024. That year, Tunisia recorded 20.2 million electronic payment transactions, an increase of 13.4% compared with 2023, while the total value reached approximately TND 1.241 billion. The country had 1,126 active merchant websites.
At first glance, the decline in the number of sites using electronic payment between 2024 and 2025 might appear negative. However, the increase in transaction value tells a different story. The value of e-payment transactions increased from roughly TND 1.241 billion to TND 1.375 billion, an increase of around 10.8%.
This suggests that the Tunisian e-commerce ecosystem may be moving toward greater concentration and maturity. A smaller number of active platforms can generate more transaction value when consumers increasingly rely on established merchants and digital purchasing becomes more frequent.
For businesses, this distinction is important. The next phase of Tunisia’s e-commerce development may not necessarily be driven by a rapid multiplication of online stores. It may instead depend on the ability of existing businesses to increase customer confidence, transaction frequency and average online spending.
Digital payments are growing, but cash still dominates
The development of electronic payments should not be interpreted as the disappearance of cash.
Cash on delivery remains one of the defining characteristics of Tunisian e-commerce. The U.S. International Trade Administration notes that more than 80% of online transactions in Tunisia are conducted on a cash-on-delivery basis. Consumer concerns about product quality, delivery reliability and the ability to obtain refunds have contributed to this preference.
This creates an unusual situation for the market. Consumers are increasingly comfortable discovering products, comparing prices and placing orders online, but the final payment often remains offline.
For retailers, this model creates additional operational costs. A cash-on-delivery order requires logistics, delivery coordination and cash collection. Failed deliveries can also generate costs without producing revenue.
Digital payments can therefore have an economic impact that extends beyond convenience. When a customer pays electronically, the transaction can be confirmed before fulfilment, reducing some of the uncertainty associated with cash collection and potentially improving inventory and logistics planning.
Trust may be the real growth engine
Technology alone will not determine the future of Tunisian e-commerce. Trust is likely to be equally important.
A consumer deciding whether to pay online needs confidence in several elements at once: the identity of the merchant, the accuracy of the product information, the security of the payment, the delivery process and the possibility of resolving a problem after purchase.
This is particularly relevant in categories such as electronics and high-tech products, where consumers often make relatively significant purchases and need precise information about specifications, warranties and after-sales support.
High-tech products, electronics and household appliances have already been among the most popular categories purchased online in Tunisia, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.
This creates an interesting opportunity for specialized retailers. A platform such as GameWorld (gaming shop ) illustrates how a specialized e-commerce business can focus on a clearly defined product ecosystem, where consumers need detailed information before purchasing components, gaming computers and related equipment.
The broader lesson is that e-commerce growth is not simply about putting products online. It is about reducing the uncertainty surrounding the purchase.
Why specialization could become an advantage
The Tunisian online retail market remains highly fragmented, with businesses competing not only on price but also on product availability, delivery, customer service and credibility.
Specialization can provide an important advantage in this environment.
A specialized retailer can develop deeper product knowledge, provide more detailed specifications and create content that answers questions before the customer reaches the checkout page. In technology and gaming, for example, customers may want to understand compatibility between a processor and motherboard, the difference between graphics cards or the amount of RAM required for a particular type of use.
This creates a direct connection between e-commerce and information.
The strongest online retailers are increasingly competing not only through their catalogue but also through the quality of the information surrounding their products. Search engines, product reviews, comparison content and buying guides can all influence the path from product discovery to transaction.
For Tunisia, this could become increasingly important as digital purchasing becomes more established.
Mobile payments are adding another layer to the transformation
The evolution of e-commerce is also taking place alongside rapid growth in mobile payments.
According to Central Bank data reported for 2024, mobile payment transactions reached 5.1 million, representing approximately TND 1.394 billion in value.
This development matters because mobile devices are already central to the way consumers access digital services. The U.S. International Trade Administration estimated that Tunisia had approximately 10.5 million internet users and 7.25 million social media users in January 2025.
The combination of widespread internet access, social media usage and growing mobile payment adoption creates an increasingly favorable environment for digital commerce.
It also changes the customer journey. A consumer can discover a product through social media, research it through a search engine, visit an online store from a smartphone and potentially complete the transaction without ever visiting a physical shop.
For retailers, this means that digital visibility is becoming an increasingly important part of the competitive equation.
The economic impact goes beyond online retailers
The growth of e-commerce should not be considered exclusively as a retail phenomenon.
A larger digital commerce ecosystem can stimulate activity across logistics, payment services, telecommunications, digital marketing, customer support and software development.
Every online transaction depends on an ecosystem of services. Products need to be stored and delivered. Payments need to be processed. Websites need to remain available and secure. Customers need assistance before and after purchases.
As transaction volumes increase, these supporting industries can benefit from higher demand.
The evolution of payment infrastructure is particularly important because it can increase the formalization and traceability of commercial activity. Digital transactions generate records that can support better accounting, inventory management and business planning.
This does not mean that cash will disappear quickly. Instead, Tunisia appears to be moving toward a hybrid model in which cash and electronic payments coexist while consumers gradually gain more confidence in digital transactions.
What the 2025 numbers mean for businesses
The most interesting signal in the latest data is not simply the number of transactions. It is the relationship between transaction volume and transaction value.
In 2025, approximately 19.3 million electronic transactions generated TND 1.375 billion in value. That corresponds to an average transaction value of roughly TND 71.
In 2024, the corresponding figures were approximately 20.2 million transactions and TND 1.241 billion, or around TND 61 per transaction.
The calculation should not be interpreted as the average value of every e-commerce purchase in Tunisia, since the figures cover electronic payment transactions rather than the entire e-commerce market. Nevertheless, the difference provides an interesting indication: the value processed electronically increased even as the number of transactions declined.
This may reflect changes in the composition of online purchases, higher-value transactions or greater adoption of electronic payment for purchases where consumers previously relied on cash.
For businesses, the implication is clear. The opportunity is no longer simply to acquire more website visitors. It is to build an online purchasing experience capable of converting traffic into trusted, repeatable transactions.
The next challenge: converting adoption into loyalty
The next stage of Tunisia’s e-commerce development will probably be less about convincing consumers that online shopping exists and more about convincing them to return.
Customer loyalty depends on several factors: accurate product descriptions, competitive pricing, reliable delivery, transparent policies and effective after-sales service.
This is particularly important because digital commerce makes price comparison easier. A customer can move between several websites within minutes, making differentiation based purely on price difficult to sustain.
Businesses therefore need to build value around the transaction itself.
A clear product catalogue, useful buying advice, secure payment options, reliable fulfilment and responsive customer service can collectively become a competitive advantage. In specialized categories, expertise can be equally valuable.
The retailers that succeed in this environment are likely to be those that treat e-commerce not simply as another sales channel but as an integrated customer experience.
Tunisia’s e-commerce opportunity is becoming more tangible
Tunisia still has significant structural challenges to overcome. Cash on delivery remains dominant, international e-commerce is constrained by foreign-exchange and payment restrictions, and consumer confidence remains an important issue.
Yet the direction of travel is increasingly visible.
The country processed approximately TND 1.375 billion through electronic payments in 2025, compared with TND 1.241 billion in 2024. At the same time, mobile payments have reached millions of transactions, while more than a thousand merchant websites have integrated electronic payment mechanisms.
These numbers point toward an e-commerce market that is gradually moving from experimentation toward greater maturity.
For Tunisian businesses, the opportunity is therefore not limited to selling more products online. It is about building the infrastructure, trust and customer experience required to make digital commerce a normal part of everyday consumption.
The next growth phase may ultimately be determined not by how many online stores Tunisia creates, but by how effectively its strongest digital retailers can turn online visitors into confident, repeat customers.
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