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Investing in the future – Ecommerce

The Smartphone

It is easy to underestimate just how much of a global game changer the smartphone has been, and how it has changed ecommerce for everyone. You now carry a digital shopping mall in your pocket or handbag that offers every product in the world at the very best prices, all of which are available at the click of a button and delivered to your front door. It is compelling and it is convenient for people of all ages but, for younger people, it is simply how things work as they have never known anything different. For those companies that understand this fact, the potential to grow is unparalleled; for those that don’t, there is no future.

Stop and look at your (digital) life

Most of us are completely unaware of just how fast our individual, everyday habits are changing toward becoming digital citizens of a global economy. Our every communication is an email, a text, a post or a tweet. Every photo now rests comfortably in the cloud; every book is now read on a Kindle or iPad. The music we listen to is streamed as we browse flights and hotels, manage our bank accounts, pay our taxes or even video chat with our friends and relatives in distant parts of the world on our devices. When you stop and look around, you start to realise that without ever making a conscious decision, your life has become digital and there is no going back.

How to invest

The potential for ecommerce is unlimited – but only for those companies that get it right. For retail investors, it is therefore extremely difficult to try to pick the winners in the crowd, which is why specialist investment funds have been created that aim to do exactly that. Managers of ecommerce funds must constantly look for the companies that are best placed to facilitate, or benefit from the rapidly growing trend. Whilst it carries tremendous opportunities, it also carries a higher risk than the average equity investment fund. For that reason, investors should only allocate a small proportion of their available capital in this area. You should also consider it a longer term investment theme as these are the companies of the future (as well as today). Finally, did you know?

  • We now send more than 100 billion emails every day!
  • The video gaming market is now significantly bigger than Hollywood and the Music Industry – combined!
  • In 2015 only 50% of the world had access to the Internet and only 30% have a smart phone so far…

To find out more about investing in Ecommerce as part of your overall investment strategy, contact us today.

Other News

Pensions Regulator Announces Enhanced Transfer Information Sharing

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Pension transfers, whether from a defined benefit plan into a QROPS, SIPPs or other vehicle, are likely to be an important consideration as part of this process. However, in recent years it has become clear that although pension transfers can be advantageous for many individuals, particularly those who live abroad in the European Union, a minority of advisers are failing to properly examine the question of suitability, thereby resulting in some investors being saddled with an unsuitable product.

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New Spanish Will Laws from 17th of August

Blacktower Financial Management

Many of our clients will have beside their property and / or bank accounts here in Spain still assets abroad.  This could be a property in the “home” country, a share portfolio in Luxembourg, an offshore bank account etc.

Most would have a Will covering these assets in their home country and without specific mention of the asset will have laid out their wishes in the form of for example “spouse to spouse on first death and on second death to the children” which would apply to all their assets.  

Should the person have not bothered taking on a Spanish Will then the heirs would have to go through the extra work and costs involved in relying on a UK or foreign will for the disposal of the Spanish assets.  The Will would have to be translated and apostiled adding delays and extra costs at a difficult time for the heirs.

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