Reprise Commerce, in collaboration with Google, examined 13,000 consumers across 13 markets in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to uncover online shopping changes since the onset of Covid-19.
The study unlocked patterns and trends that have emerged and accelerated in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
While individual markets varied in specific tendencies, the overall results made it abundantly clear that the eCommerce industry has grown exponentially, with these new online habits poised to remain for the long run.
Online Preferences
One of the 5 takeaways from the study is that online ads are more influential than personal recommendations. What people browse, like, and follow constitute their digital profiles. But what their friends interact with makes them part of a larger lookalike pool, exposing users to countless more brands.
These companies not only target potential customers with their ads, but they also reach them through social media, which is the #1 driver of online shopping in APAC. This next takeaway accounts for the finding that 1 in 2 Southeast Asia (SEA) consumers consults the socials before making a purchase.
Shoppers in Japan and India favor eRetailer channels when conducting product research, though – another example of markets behaving differently and having their own preferences. This applies to eCommerce platform leanings as well (like Shopee vs. Lazada), with a third takeaway indicating that online marketplaces are not created equal.
Personal Touch
A key drawback to dealing with eCommerce sites informs the fourth takeaway: APAC shoppers still want a touch-and-feel experience, with 48% of consumers not committing to a purchase without one. This desired physical component highlights the need for brands to further strengthen online trust with shoppers.
Another thing that buyers want is social proof, and reviews get consumers over the final hurdle of purchase. This last takeaway means that shoppers value reviews over promotions and deals, relying on the evaluations of Amazon and Google users to help with their decision making.
And companies will have an easier time with their own choices going forward. APAC online shoppers have revealed their preferences in a post-Covid consumer landscape, and brands now have the insight and opportunity to fill in any major gaps that are missing from their digital marketing strategies. Learning from these takeaways will both improve the buyer experience and strengthen brands for the foreseeable future.
Read the full study here.
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