The latest survey on online shopping habits by MasterCard Worldwide revealed that online shoppers shopped more frequently and spent more money shopping online in 4Q 2008 than in the prior year. The Report, Economic Crisis and Preference for Online Shopping in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa which showed that online shoppers across this region spent an average of USD667 online in 4Q 2008 versus USD633 during the same quarter in 2007, and made an average of 3.3 purchases, up from 3.1 in 2007.
Not only have they shopped more despite the economic climate, with the exception of Korea and Hong Kong, all other markets surveyed showed an increased intention for future online shopping compared to a year ago.
It covered 5037 respondents across 10 markets: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE and South Africa with the latter two being new markets included in 2008. The inaugural survey was conducted in December 2007.
Books and arts (with 38% of online shoppers choosing this) emerged as the most frequently bought items online, closely followed by home appliances and electronic products (37%) and CDs/DVDs/VCDs (36%).
The majority of the online shopping conducted in the region was planned, with 83% of online shoppers admitting that they tend to plan their shopping in advance and conduct research on their planned purchases. Most online shoppers either bought items impulsively “hardly ever” (36%) or “just a couple of times” (38%). The top reason for impulsive buying was the discounted prices (67%) that online channels afford.
Market Findings
Australia
In Australia, 66% of respondents used the internet for online shopping. In terms of their overall shopping, they conducted 30% of it online. The top three items that Australian shoppers bought online included CDs/DVDs/VCDs (44%), airline tickets (41%) and toys and gifts (39%).
Australian online shoppers seem to be the most enthusiastic bargain hunters with 76% of them admitting to discounted prices being a reason for impulsive shopping. The top two products that trigger impulsive buying amongst Australians were CDs/DVDs/VCDs (40%) and toys and gifts (35%).
China
In China, 82% of respondents are used the internet for online shopping. They conducted 30% of their shopping online. The most popularly bought items amongst the Chinese online shoppers included books and arts (61%), home appliances and electronic products (59%) and ladies clothing and accessories (56%).
The top two items triggering impulsive shopping for the Chinese online shoppers included ladies clothing and accessories (49%) and home appliances and electronic products (45%).
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, only 45% of respondents used the internet for the purpose of online shopping. Online shoppers conducted 22% of their overall shopping online. The top three items bought by them online included movie/concert tickets (34%), toys and gifts (33%) and books and arts (31%).
Toys and gifts (31%) and ladies clothing and accessories (28%) were the most impulsively bought items amongst Hong Kong online shoppers.
India
In India, 54% of respondents logged on for online shopping. They conducted 28% of their overall shopping online. The top three most popular online buys for Indian shoppers included airline tickets (54%), home appliances and electronic products (48%) and CDs/DVDs/VCDs (44%).
When it came to impulsive shopping, Indians seemed to prefer home appliances and electronic products (51%) and CDs/DVDs/VCDs (44%). India is the only market where the 18-29 year age group spent the most on online shopping.
Japan
At 84%, Japan had the highest number of respondents who used the internet for the purpose of online shopping. They conducted 40% of their shopping online making them the second most ‘online’ market when it came to online Vs. offline shopping. The top three items that they bought online included books and arts (42%), groceries (40%) and CDs/DVDs/VCDs (38%).
The top two items triggering impulsive shopping for Japanese online shoppers were groceries (37%) and books and arts (35%).
Korea
In Korea, 80% of respondents used the internet to shop online, making them the third most active online shopping group, after Japan and China. They did more than half (53%) their shopping online and the most popular items bought by them included ladies clothing and accessories (45%), books and arts (38%) and cosmetics (37%).
Ladies clothing and accessories (47%), men’s clothing and accessories (29%) and cosmetics (29%) were the most impulsively bought items.
Singapore
In Singapore, 54% of respondents used the internet to shop online. They conducted 33% of their overall shopping through online channels and the top-most bought items included airline tickets (56%), hotel accommodation (46%) and movie/concert tickets (34%).
Airline tickets (41%) and ladies clothing and accessories (31%) were the two items that triggered the most impulsive shopping for Singaporeans.
South Africa
In South Africa, 50% of respondents used the internet to shop online. They conducted 24% of their shopping online and the most popularly bought items by them included CDs/DVDs/VCDs (58%), airline tickets (45%) and books and arts (45%).
When it came to impulsive shopping, the top two most bought items were CDs/DVDs/VCDs (60%) and books and arts (42%).
Thailand
In Thailand, 43% of respondents used the internet to shop online. They conducted 28% of their overall shopping online and the most popular items bought by them included airline tickets (43%), books and arts (32%) and home appliances and electronic products (32%).
CDs/DVDs/VCDs (42%), books and arts (31%) and toys and gifts (31%) were the most impulsively bought items by the Thais.
UAE
In the UAE, 34% of respondents used the internet to shop online, making them the least active group when it came to online shopping, although UAE was the top spending market. They conducted 26% of their overall shopping online and the most popular items bought by them included airline tickets (59%), home appliances and electronic products (37%) and hotel accommodation (30%).
Airline tickets (50%) and home appliances and electronic products (45%) were the two items that triggered the most impulsive shopping.
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