APAC DTC brands have an edge on trust

Across the Asia-Pacific region, e-commerce marketplaces remain the preferred shopping platform for most online consumers, although DTC brands are finding a niche with a certain type of shopper.

Why it matters 

Marketplaces have particular attractions, including cheaper prices (cited by 58% of respondents in a study by Reprise reported in Campaign Asia-Pacfic) and deals and promotions (35%), but price-sensitivity isn’t the only thing driving platform consideration. Reprise finds that those shoppers who prefer to engage with DTC brands and buy on their websites do so because they consider these brands to be more trusted and authentic. 

Takeaways

• Fashion dominates online purchases (77%), but other categories are also now bought mostly online, including personal electronics (73%), consumer electronics (63%) and kitchen appliances (59%)
• 62% of online consumers in APAC are less than 44 years of age and more than half claim to be mid- to high-income. 
• An older demographic still likes to shop offline and is sceptical of quick commerce platforms.
• APAC consumers have become mission-orientated, and are usually shopping during sales and festive seasons – a behaviour that is seen across ‘fun’ and ‘careful’ shoppers, as well as across income groups. 
• A majority (77%) of APAC shoppers use emerging tech – live chat, AR, VR, and online catalogues – when shopping.
• Credit and debit cards are the preferred payment methods in more developed markets, while cash remains important in large parts of Southeast Asia. 

Sourced from Campaign Asia-Pacific