‘Bargain hunting’ behaviour drives SEA consumers’ online purchase

Around 7 in 10 think online shopping saves money.

Saving money is amongst the crucial factors that drive the online shopping behaviours of Southeast Asian consumers, according to a report.

Under the E-commerce Southeast Asia (SEA) Barometer Report 2021 - Uncovering SEA online shoppers & delivery preferences report conducted by Ninja Van Group and DPDgroup, 72% of the consumers in the region think online shopping saves money.

Around four in 10 or 38% rated free delivery as a key driver for buying online.

“Bargain hunting behaviour is a key driving factor for online shopping, and free delivery is one of the tactics to encourage online purchases,” the report read. 

The report also found that e-shoppers are “heavily reliant” on online reviews to assist in purchase decision making, with 81% choosing websites based on social media influencers, and 94% saying they have shared or published feedback after purchasing.

“In a hyper social environment, feedback is a form of currency that cannot be underestimated as more than half of the e-shoppers are likely to discuss their purchase via websites or apps,” it said.

A total of 57% said they have published comets and rated a product on the website or the application itself, whilst 36% make recommendations to friends and family. Around three in 10 or 29% have published comments and rated the product on social networks, 25% published posts and pictures of their purchases on social networks, whilst 6% said they had never done so.

Over 9,000 participants in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam were surveyed in July 2021 for the study.