Everybody likes a Mega Sale Day (MSD), and even if shoppers are returning in droves to in-store buying in APAC, their online purchasing habits from the pandemic seem to have taken root because they also rely heavily on their mobile devices.
Our annual consumer survey of year-end buyers provides an insight into emerging trends and preferences, so I'm always delighted to publish the results. Additionally, it assists brands in bridging the gap between discovery and consideration. In 12 APAC regions, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Pakistan, we conducted surveys with more than 18,000 people.
In order to assist businesses make the most of every Mega Sale Day opportunity, we have identified five critical trends and four effective methods from this year's study.
- Mega Sale Days promote massive brand discovery, according to a survey of year-end customers, which found that 94 percent of respondents are inclined to try a new brand during an MSD.
- 11.11 and 12.12 triumph in the popularity poll: Different MSDs have different causes. These two are the most well-liked in APAC, with participation rates of 79 and 77 percent of year-end shoppers, respectively.
- Millennials and Gen Z are more accustomed to social-first shopping: For 40% of those polled, social media outlets influenced their search and purchases. 61 percent of this group are members of Gen Z and Millennials. Of this subset of social shoppers, 89 percent made an unplanned discovery when buying online. Compared to a non-social consumer, they are 1.3X as likely to make a mobile buy. They are receptive to personalised marketing, as evidenced by the fact that 67% of them made a purchase after viewing a personalised advertisement. It's interesting to note that 66 percent of social shoppers who participated in the survey indicated they are more likely to trust a brand that collaborates with reliable creators and influencers.
- Shopping decisions are influenced by personal connections and recommendations (74%), sponsored material (66%), and video content (56%). Immersive experiences and personal ties are key in this process (74 percent ). According to a survey of social shoppers, 77 percent of them have participated in or are open to watching a live purchasing event online, when consumers move from awareness to purchase in a single session. With 81 percent of consumers admitting that AR tools have an impact on their purchasing decisions, augmented reality (AR) technology also have a significant impact on consumers.
- Cross-border consumers are becoming a distinct group that places a high priority on brand purpose: 33 percent of APAC cross-border consumers began their shopping earlier (by the end of November) than typical shoppers, with 55 percent of APAC customers who were questioned making cross-border purchases. With 46% of APAC cross-border shoppers considering socially conscious companies, ethical/fair trade business practises (42%), and sustainability, brand values are particularly significant to this market (41 percent ).