Singapore – With concerns surrounding festive season marketing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting inflation of products, marketers in the Southeast Asia region say that they need a stronger boost with their current and upcoming marketing strategies as the holidays are fast approaching, data from the latest survey conducted by digital experience management software Sitecore shows.
According to their survey, 69% of marketers reported a decline in sales so far this year, and nearly 40% of marketers said festive season sales represents the bulk of annual sales: which is particularly true for businesses with less than 500 employees.
Meanwhile, around 96% of marketers are concerned about the impact of inflation on the Christmas shopping season
Furthermore, 97% are concerned that changing local health conditions could result in the need for fast marketing pivots. However, despite the uncertainty, marketers feel better prepared than last year to deal with product availability, balancing online and offline demand, and their customer profiling and personalization programs.
The survey also notes that last year has made significant changes on their supply chain endeavors, and that this year they expect that digital brands ‘will win more’ during the festive season, evident with the fact marketers have started their promotional campaigns earlier than ever.
“Most marketers expect digital brands will win the holiday season, and are planning to offer in-person and online experiences, including virtual give-aways, wish lists, and special festive experiences. The offerings most likely to be delivered in digital form are free gifts or product samples attached to online orders, personal shopping services, and a festive season wishlist to share with loved ones,” the company said in a press statement.
Meanwhile, Steve Hawkes, chief operating officer for Sitecore Asia-Pacific and Japan at Sitecore, commented, “We are seeing many consumer marketers increasingly relying on digital initiatives to capture the needed increase in sales this Christmas shopping season. We know there are rising concerns about the health status of communities across Southeast Asia.”
He added, “Retailers and other consumer companies will need to be nimble and act swiftly in the face of a volatile economic landscape.”
