When 1998 was "born" PayPal, the facts in the internet world were quite different. There was no Social Media, no YouTube, and online shopping was much more limited than it is today. Nevertheless, the innovative online payment platform won the bet.
Οι αριθμοί είναι εντυπωσιακοί: περίπου 11,5 εκατ. πληρωμές γίνονται πλέον μέσω PayPal, σε καθημερινή base. Η πλατφόρμα είναι διαθέσιμη σε 203 αγορές, επιτρέποντας στους χρήστες της να κάνουν συναλλαγές σε δεκάδες διαφορετικά νομίσματα.
Η HuffPost Greece met his Business Development Leader PayPal in Central and Eastern Europe, Ghana Yeftushenko, within the Magento & PayPal Meet-up event. In the interview she gave us, she talks about what the company's next moves will be in our country, while it is interesting to note that, as she emphasizes, the Greece is one of the most growing markets in Europe, as far as online shopping is concerned.
What exactly is PayPal? Because someone who is unfamiliar with the internet may not know
Simply put, PayPal is an online payment platform. Through which anyone can buy, for example, travel tickets or gadgets. The successful idea of PayPal is based primarily on 3 things: that transactions can be made quickly, easily and safely. So we have managed to expand to many countries in the world and too many people trust our internet platform for their online purchases.
How many businesses work with PayPal here in Greece?
There are thousands of businesses. Big or smaller. We work with, for example, MediaMarkt, Wind and TravelPlanet24.
When you are a travel site, with customers from many countries, then it is possible that not everyone trusts you for their transactions or their credit cards may not work. These problems PayPal solves them, since transactions can be made regardless of country, while when a user sees on your site that they can pay in this particular way, this essentially serves as a "security mechanism" and they immediately trust you.
Ghana Geutsuchenko
What are your future plans in terms of activation in our country?
What we want in principle is to work with as many successful Greek businesses as possible. We also want to help these businesses grow abroad. Because when we talk about an internet business, in fact it is not only for the public of Greece, but also for people from many countries of the world.
At the same time, we want to work with as many innovative businesses as possible that make people's lives easier. One such case is Taxibeat. Through which you can find taxis very easily, without having to wait, as it used to be oldmore years.
Our goal is also to work with new startups, which are constantly up and running and have prospects for rapid growth.
At what level is, in your opinion, online shopping here in Greece?
According to the information we have as PayPal at our disposal, I have to tell you that Greece is currently one of the most growing markets in Europe in the e-shopping segment. Many small or larger online businesses are constantly opening up. And the important thing is what I said before: that through the internet these businesses can reach customers from all parts of the earth.
The financial crisis has affected your operation in Greece?
The truth is we have not been affected. By seeing our numbers, we find that we are doing very well despite the crisis. One reason is probably that citizens are now looking for the best deals on the internet. That is where we operate. Personally, I am Head of Business Development of PayPal in Central and Eastern Europe and I can tell you that compared to other countries, Greece is a very friendly market.
What kind of products do the Greeks buy online, based on the data you have in your hands?
The most popular categories are electronics and clothes. In the first category, most Greeks are looking for good opportunities in countries like China and America. In the second category, most consumers in your country order products from Britain or Italy. There are, of course, other products that are in demand such as books and jewelery. But surely the most popular categories are electronics and clothes.
What are the PayPal goals for 2015 worldwide?
Our goal is always the same. We want anywhere in the world, everyone can make electronic transactions through PayPal. As far as I know, the activities of ebay and PayPal will be separated this year and will become two autonomous listed companies. We also have a new CEO for a few months. All of this, however, does not seem to affect our overall strategy, which remains stable, on a global level.
