SINGAPORE: Connected consumers in Asia Pacific are far more likely to make online purchases via their mobile devices than those in other parts of the world, new research shows.

That’s according to the latest Connected Life study from Kantar TNS, based on quantitative interviews with 70,000 consumers across 56 countries and more than 100 qualitative interviews across 12 countries.

This found that over three quarters (77%) of people in APAC with access to the internet made their most recent online purchase on mobile, in comparison to 61% globally, 48% in Latin America and just 24% in Europe.

Kantar TNS attributed the rise in m-commerce to emerging, mobile-first markets in the region, where 83% of people with an internet connection said that they made their last purchase online using their mobile, in comparison to 34% of consumers in developed APAC.

The research identified Indonesians as the most likely to shop online using their mobile, with 93% saying their most recent purchase was via mobile, whereas only 5% used a desktop.

At the other end of the spectrum, Australians are least likely to buy online using mobile, only 22% making their last purchase using their smartphone.

Which categories are being bought online varies depending on the maturity of individual markets.

Thus among emerging markets, music, media and travel are the fastest growing categories year on year; in developed markets, penetration in these categories has plateaued and categories such as apparel and food and beverage are growing rapidly as payment systems, delivery and customer service improve.

Nitin Nishandar, Regional Managing Director, Brand & Shopper, Kantar TNS noted that trust remains a barrier in emerging markets.

“The security of knowing they are buying better quality goods is a key factor that would make consumers in these markets more likely to buy online, so brands should focus on making sure that authenticity is front and centre of their strategy,” he said.

But in developed markets where trust has already been established, value is key – with free delivery a factor in choosing to buy online.

“Hidden charges, high postage costs and lengthy delivery times are going to put off savvy consumers who will be likely to go elsewhere,” Nishandar noted.

Sourced from Kantar TNS; additional content by WARC staff