Eswatini Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in eswatini, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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eCommerce
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E-commerce in Eswatini is still in its early stages, with limited adoption compared to other countries in the region. Most e-commerce transactions reported in Eswatini are informal, such as sales made through email or social media platforms, rather than sophisticated platforms that meet the formal definition of e-commerce. Despite these challenges, platforms like Buy-Eswatini are emerging to link producers with customers, and some small-and-medium sized enterprises are engaging in online sales.

Increased cellular coverage and penetration, and use of mobile money apps have created prospects for e-commerce. The large size of the informal sector and un-banked population has opened the way for a new payment mechanism that enables local purchase of utilities, groceries, and services through mobile apps. Local payment systems include MTN Mobile Money, Eswatini Mobile Email, First National Bank’s e-wallet. The Central Bank of Eswatini discontinued the use of check writing within the country as of January 1, 2022.
 
Top Products or Services. The main categories of e-commerce purchases in Eswatini include food, fashion and apparel, beauty and personal care, electronics, furniture, and books. These products are sold both in the B2B and B2C markets. The e-commerce market in Eswatini is driven by a mix of domestic and international buyers and sellers.  Buyers are primarily in the urban areas of the country, while rural areas face challenges such as limited internet connectivity and affordability issues. Sellers include small-and-medium sized enterprises, but they face difficulties in scaling operations and integrating e-commerce into their business models.

Business-to-Business (B2B) Environment. The B2B environment in Eswatini is evolving, with regional value chains (RVCs) playing a significant role in integrating local businesses into global markets. Eswatini’s participation in RVCs has been growing, particularly in the agribusiness and manufacturing sectors. Investments in logistics, digital payment systems, and ICT infrastructure are critical to strengthening the B2B environment.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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