Cyprus E-commerce Scene
Cyprus has the highest percentage of online shoppers in the EU, with 85% of Cypriots shopping online for clothes, shoes, and accessories. Despite this, the fashion industry remains the only large retail category without a domestic price comparison tool.
Why Fashion Resisted Price Comparison
The answer lies not in technology but in the structural differences between fashion and electronics. Unlike electronics, where each product has a unique SKU, fashion products have varying colors, sizes, and seasonal collections, making it challenging to standardize data.
A Changing Landscape
A new EU tariff of €3 per item on packages valued under €150 from non-EU countries has changed the math for online shopping. This has led Cypriot consumers to seek alternative options, such as European e-shops with no customs duties, 14-day return policies, and faster delivery.
Infrastructure for Comparison
To address this gap, a Cypriot platform, Stylino.cy, has emerged as a fashion aggregator, collecting products from European retailers in one place with standardized categorization by brand, category, and style.