The pandemic supercharged online shopping: How it accelerated in APAC

Nearly three-quarters of global shoppers say online shopping came to their rescue in 2020, and Thailand rose to the top of the global ranking with 94% of consumers agreeing with the sentiment.

That is according to Wunderman Thompson Commerce’s Future Shopper report 2021, which surveyed 28,000 consumers globally, including six APAC countries – China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Australia.

Why it matters

As the shift from physical to digital channels accelerates and becomes the primary channel for retail purchasing, consumers are turning to local and regional marketplaces as they take on global players like Amazon, with those in Asia leading the way when engaging with new channels such as social and live commerce.

Key insights

• Digital commerce has been more important to consumers in Asia during the pandemic than anywhere else.
• Indians (72%) and Thais (62%) are more frightened about shopping in-store post-pandemic than their APAC counterparts (49%).
  
• 86% of Indians are less prepared to put up with mediocre shopping experiences and demand excellence from brands.
• In APAC, marketplaces other than Amazon account for 33% of all purchases, led by Japan at 45% and Thailand at 41%.
• Amazon’s reputation on price is comparatively poor in Asia, with 20% of shoppers saying it provides the best value versus 48% who identify Tmall, Taobao or Lazada as being the best.
• 29% of shoppers in China have used branded direct-to-consumer sites, putting the channel in third place, behind marketplaces like Taobao and Tmall, and social media.
• In Asia, buying directly through social media is well-established, led by Thailand at 74%, followed by Indonesia and China (69%).