More than half of surveyed small businesses in the Western Balkans reported that online sales accounted for less than 10% of revenue, according to an OECD enterprise survey.
The finding illustrates how a company can maintain a digital presence while still relying largely on other sales channels. It also gives businesses a reason to look beyond whether they have a website and examine how customers discover, purchase and pay for products.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development survey examines businesses in six Western Balkan economies. The research used data collected in April through June 2025. Results describe the respondents, not every business in the region.
Digital tools do different jobs
Among 372 respondent businesses using at least one digital tool, 58% reported electronic invoicing, 47% social media and 41% company websites. Firms could select more than one tool. A website can make a company visible without providing online checkout, while invoicing may primarily help administration.
The survey reported that 56% of surveyed firms derived less than a tenth of total revenue from online sales and 9% derived more than half. Another 14% could not quantify the share. Those figures describe reported revenue shares, not conversion rates or the success of any individual store.
For a small company, an online inquiry may still lead to a sale completed by phone or in person. Such a transaction would not necessarily look like a conventional online checkout.
Payments and costs remain obstacles
Among digitally active respondents, 54% said they accepted bank transfers and 22% accepted card payments through online platforms. Only 9% reported mobile payments. Respondents could select multiple methods.
Availability changed after the survey, the OECD notes. Its discussion of international marketplaces also cautions that the survey may undercount use of local platforms. Neither the payment figures nor the marketplace figures should be treated as a current census of available services.
Software maintenance and technical service fees were cited as a barrier by 39% of respondents, while 36% cited equipment purchase or repair costs. Training takes time and money too. Adding a sales channel can therefore require more than creating a social media account.
Measure the entire purchase
Businesses assessing online sales can compare the costs of attracting inquiries, handling payments, delivering orders and resolving returns with the revenue those orders generate. Customers may use different channels at each stage, so the first click alone may not explain a sale.
Our earlier coverage of delivery and payment choices at checkout describes a separate DHL survey of shoppers and online businesses. Together, the reports show why an online presence and a completed purchase are different measures.
