The distinction between offline and online shopping has become more hazy in recent years due to both technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to engage with customers and spur corporate success, organisations must adjust their marketing and advertising tactics to suit changing consumer expectations and remain ahead of a developing consumer environment.
We looked at the purchasing habits, drivers, and preferred platforms of Southeast Asian Mega Sale Day (MSD) consumers as we approach this year's sales events. 3,250 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, ages 18 to 60, were surveyed by Meta and NielsenIQ.
Key Takeaways:
- Surveyed consumers in Southeast Asia exhibit some omnichannel behaviour, preferring to read product reviews online before making a physical purchase, and vice versa. This is particularly true for some areas, like mobile and technology, health and beauty, and home appliances.
- Ninety percent of respondents from Southeast Asia who shop online or offline have taken part in MSD activities. The Philippines (94%), Vietnam (97%) and Malaysia (94%) have the largest percentages of shoppers at this well-known regional event (91 percent ). Shoppers from Thailand (87%), Singapore (88%) and Indonesia (88%) come in second, third, and fourth, respectively (78 percent ).
- Surveyed consumers are willing to postpone purchases during MSD, particularly those in Singapore (76%) and the Philippines (74%), as well as Vietnam and Malaysia (74%). (69 percent each). 63 percent of consumers in Thailand and Indonesia are willing to wait for MSD. Clothing and fashion was the main area in which consumers would put off purchases during MSD in the majority of Southeast Asian markets, with Indonesia having the highest percentage (70%) followed by the Philippines (69%), Malaysia (55%) and Thailand (40%). (53 percent ). In Singapore, 51% of respondents selected equipment for the home, while in Vietnam, 59% selected health and beauty. Large-ticket items or often used products are the main categories, especially for Thai consumers.
- With many unforeseen purchases made during MSD in Thailand (54 percent), Indonesia (53 percent), and Malaysia (51 percent), social media is essential for gathering information.
What it means for businesses, advertisers and marketers:
- Incorporate omnichannel strategies to maximize opportunities during Mega Sale days.
- Maximize MSD moments for brand-building as well as business growth.
- Incorporate always-on branding strategies to capture shoppers who prefer to make purchases right away as opposed to waiting for MSD events.
- Leverage social media platforms to drive discovery and conversion during MSD, with Facebook and Instagram being key sources of information.
- Drive confidence in product quality and credibility through AR/VR technology to increase the basket size for online shopping.
- Integrate business messaging capabilities in your marketing plan in order to drive conversion.
Source: “Mega Sales Day Study 2022" by Meta and NielsenIQ Thailand (A Meta-commissioned survey of 3,250 respondents aged 18-60 years old from ID, MY, PH, SG, TH, VN who shopped online in Dec 2021, Jan and Feb 2022). Survey conducted March 2022.