Social media boosts online shopping in APAC: report

Social media investment in e-commerce and the increasing influence of retail marketplaces continue to drive consumer spending online; in Asia Pacific markets, China leads the way with a retail spend that is currently 66% online, followed by Indonesia and India at 64%, Thailand at 60%, Australia at 55% and Japan at 48%, according to Wunderman Thompson Commerce’s Future Shopper Report 2022.

Why it matters

Of the 30,000 global online consumers surveyed in 18 countries, 57% of their retail spend is currently online. COVID-19 has accelerated digital adoption in Southeast Asia, with nearly 70 million new shoppers estimated to have come online for the first time. While marketplaces remain the dominant force in e-commerce, consumer loyalty and preferences in APAC are evolving in the face of fragmented online journeys.

Takeaways 

• Winning online means getting the service right – one change post-pandemic is the expectation consumers have of retailers.
  
• Forty-six percent of consumers in India expect delivery in under two hours; in Indonesia, the figure is 27%, in China and Thailand it’s 25%.
  
• But while 48% of global consumers demand faster delivery, 68% also want brands and retailers with better environmental practices.
• When consumers were asked if they “actively choose brands that are more environmentally responsible”, Thailand consumers are No 1 globally at 83%, followed by Indonesia at No 2 (82%).
• India is at No 3 (81%) and China is No 5 (71%), while Australia and Japan were the least active in sustainable choices in the region, sitting at 46% and 38% respectively.

Key quote

“Consumers expect to engage with brands across multiple touchpoints and brands have to start enabling connected commerce experiences to efficiently acquire and retain shoppers. Furthermore, as competition for shoppers in APAC increases, delivering brand experiences that are consistent, cohesive and engaging will be crucial to capturing share of heart, mind and wallet in the long run” – Aadit Bimbhet, Regional Commerce Director, Wunderman Thompson APAC.