Around 7 in 10 Southeast Asian consumers see online shopping as “integral” part of life

The study also found that 60% welcomed online shopping in the last two years.

A total of 73% of Southeast Asian consumers are now considering shopping online to be “integral to everyday life,” according to a report by Lazada.

In a statement, Lazada said it Regional eCommerce Consumer Study conducted with Milieu Insight also showed that nearly 60% of the consumers welcomed online shopping as part of their daily life only less than two years ago.

“Digital commerce has changed the way people shop in the past decade, especially in the last two years with the pandemic accelerating the shift towards online retail. Such changes are showing a lasting effect, especially in emerging markets,” James Chang, Chief Business Officer of Lazada Group said.

The report also showed that 67% of online shoppers in the region identified eCommerce Mega Campaigns such as 11.11 and 12.12 sales as a key factor in shaping the consumer buying behaviour.

The study also found that low prices and affordable shipping are the top reasons for the consumers’ online purchase, followed by ease of search and convenience, with 55% of consumers from Singapore, 48% from Thailand, and 49% from the Philippines preferring items to be delivered straight to them.

Reviews and rating are also a key factor to a positive shopping experience especially for Singaporean (61%) and Thai (66%) consumers, it said.

Buying authentic products is also a top reason for online shopping in Singapore (54%) and Vietnam (53%), whilst the variety of available payment options are important for Indonesia (54%). Secure payment options, meanwhile, are important for Singapore (53%) and Malaysia (45%).

The Lazada report also showed that consumers in the region are actively choosing items to purchase through digital channels, with 65% saying that they already know where to buy when shopping online.

It also found that 29% of the respondents want an enhanced engagement with the platform through additional browsing for best deals and exploration of the platform for additional items before completing the sale to augment experience.

Due to the pandemic, the priority set on wellness is likely to stay, with 58% of the respondents spending on Health and Beauty categories, it said.

Milieu Insight conducted the survey in January 2022 amongst 6,000 online shoppers, 1,000 each from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.