Tag: consumer behavior

Singapore – We Are Social and Meltwater has recently released their annual report on social media usage globally, and has noted that amidst a 5-billion strong global users base, users in Southeast Asia proved to one of most active user base, from gaming to social media usage.

According to the report, the average time spent on social media in the Philippines (3 hours, 34 minutes), Indonesia (3 hours, 11 minutes), Malaysia (2 hours, 48 minutes), Thailand (2 hours, 31 minutes) and Vietnam (2 hours, 25 minutes) is above the global average of 2 hours, 23 minutes. Singapore spends 2 hours, 14 minutes on social media.

It is also worth noting that Singapore ranks 10th globally for social media adoption versus total population. The total number of social media identities as a percentage of Singapore’s population is 85%.

Meanwhile, the average number of social media platforms used in the Philippines (8.0), Malaysia (7.9) and Indonesia (7.8) see these nations rank second, third and fourth respectively worldwide. The average in Singapore (6.9) also ranks higher than the worldwide average (6.7). Moreover, the Philippines topped the list globally for the highest percentage of social media users (43.9%) who say they follow influencers or other experts on social media.

Additionally, Indonesia (62.8%), Malaysia (61.5%) and the Philippines (60.0%) ranked second, third and fourth respectively up against other nations globally for the percentage of social media users who visit social media in order to learn about brands and see their content. Thailand (53.7%) and Vietnam (52.5%) were also above the global average (48.9%).

The percentage of internet users from Vietnam (81.2%), Indonesia (80.9%), the Philippines (79.2%) and Malaysia (76.8%) who use social media to research brands and products they’re considering buying is also above the worldwide average (73.9%).

Lastly, Southeast Asians are amongst the top gamers. Indonesia (96.5%) and the Philippines (95.5%) top the list globally of internet users in playing video games on any device. Thailand and Vietnam follow closely behind in the fourth spot globally with 93.2% of internet users playing video games.

From a global perspective, Facebook–which celebrates its 20th birthday on February 4–grew its global ad reach by more than 200 million over the past 12 months, delivering year-on-year growth of 10.5%. LinkedIn, Snapchat, WeChat and Pinterest also have all reported strong user growth year-on-year. 

Meanwhile, digital ad spend grew by 10 percent year-on-year, with almost $720 billion spent on digital ads in 2023. Social ad spend increased by 9.3% to USD $207 billion, and investment in influencer activities increased by 17%. 

Nathan McDonald, co-founder and group chief executive at We Are Social commented: “Social media continues to be a vital part of the way we connect with one another, from building communities to researching purchases and everything in between. TikTok’s continued popularity has changed the way that people behave online – social is not somewhere where a broadcast approach works for brands, and the importance of thinking social first has never been more important.”

He added, “It’s encouraging to see strong growth across multiple social platforms, each offering something different, whether that’s Pinterest for social commerce or Facebook for connecting with communities. For marketers, understanding platform nuances – and how to use social media to connect in culturally relevant ways – will be more crucial than ever.”

Meanwhile, Alexandra Saab Bjertnæs, chief strategy officer at Meltwater, said: “As social media enters its next chapter with five billion-plus users, understanding usage patterns, engagement, and emerging trends is crucial to helping brands find their unique voice amidst all the online chatter.”

She added, “The rise of TikTok, coupled with Instagram’s ‘favorite’ status and the growth of professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, paints a picture of evolving preferences. With so many platform choices, brands need to really understand where their target audience is going for information—and shape compelling narratives that engage them with unparalleled precision and authenticity.”

Singapore – Around 79% of consumers in APAC are influenced by non-promotional content that shows a product’s value rather than discounts, a report from TikTok revealed.

The report showed that content factors such as product benefits, reviews, demonstrations, and visuals now hold greater value on a consumer’s decision journey. With this, almost 79% of APAC consumers are shifting their focus from price to value instead. Meanwhile, only 21% of consumers are influenced by promotions in their buying decision journey.

This number ranges for different countries in APAC, with Indonesia hitting as high as 41%, 27% in Japan, and 12% in South Korea and Thailand.

With changing consumer habits, APAC consumers are also now split into two distinct consumer categories: social-oriented and product-oriented.

Social-oriented consumers are those that rely on content recommendations from creators. They are less promotion-sensitive and have a higher degree of trust in their intuitions when buying something. Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea’s consumers tend to lean more towards this category.

On the other hand, consumers in Japan and Indonesia are found to be more likely to be product-oriented in nature. They prioritise product information and benefits in their content consumption, are more responsive to discounts, and tend to rely less on their intuition when making purchase decisions.

TikTok’s report also revealed that APAC consumers are increasingly looking for more content-driven video platforms that drive content-triggered shopping and facilitate intent-driven buying through search.

The report recorded that 1.9x more consumers regularly search for products on content-driven video platforms than on traditional search engines. Furthermore, a staggering 93% want to continue or increase their discovery, consideration, and purchase of products on these content-driven platforms in the next 1-2 years.

And while there are only 22% of consumers that are influenced by brands, 48% are actually influenced by ‘Content Communities’ or networks of brand and product content that drive interaction and co-creation among consumers and brands.

The concept of content co-creation has already become as integrated and concurrent as the consumption of content itself, with 73% of consumers now creating content in rather ‘fluid’ ways through trends, contributing in comment sections, and more.

Shant Oknayan, head of global business solutions for Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia at TikTok, said, “TikTok delivers content-led commerce to consumers. As technology continues to develop and economic factors influence consumer habits, brands must look to engage with their consumers in ways that provide them not only the best deal but also an entertaining, seamless experience that does not disrupt their task flow. The clear lines between shopping and other activities are beginning to blur, and so it’s even more crucial for brands to deliver content that helps consumers buy what they want, when they want to, and how they want to.”

Speaking on the report, Arthur Altounian, VP of client strategy and growth for APAC at GroupM (The Goat Agency), also said, “In this era of content and evolving consumer behaviours, it’s imperative for brands to facilitate intuitive decision-making and establish rapport with their audiences by striking the right balance between long-term relationship building and short-term promotions. Brands should remain consumer-first and mindful of creating a seamless experience, which includes engaging content and sales strategies that emphasise the product benefits and offer value.”

Singapore – With over one in three consumers subscribed to it, Netflix has emerged as the most popular streaming service in Singapore. In this latest data, market research company YouGov also indicated that the same platform encompasses the largest proportion of contented customers garnering an 83% average satisfaction rating.

Among the platforms, Disney+ is the next most popular, with one in six (17%) subscribers. Singtel TV and StarHub TV are also tied at the same level, with around one in ten consumers indicating they are subscribers. Amazon Prime Video, Viu and Apple TV+, on the other hand, were noted to have less than one in ten consumers subscribed.

Furthermore, consumer satisfaction is relatively higher, as Disney+ and Amazon Prime ranked the second highest satisfaction rates at 74% and 73%, respectively.  Viu’s rating also remains favourable with over two in three subscribers expressing their satisfaction. This percentage is higher than satisfaction with Apple TV+ (61%) and SingTel TV (60%) services, with around three-fifths of the way there. Over half of StarHub TV (56%) subscribers also said they are satisfied customers.

The data also revealed the factors affecting consumers’ willingness to pay for streaming or TV subscriptions. More than one-quarter cited these factors as not being TV watchers (28%) and finding the costs of streaming subscriptions too high (27%). Other common reasons include having difficulty finding what they want to watch (13%), poor viewing quality or experience (7%), and poor or no internet connection (6%).

Singapore – With many Singaporeans following international leagues such as the English Premier League, a majority indicated they could also be encouraged to watch local football, given the right motivation. This was revealed in a recent survey from Yahoo and YouGov, conducted as part of the Season 2 launch of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly.

While this is a widely held belief amongst Singaporeans (40%) in the study with 40% remaining neutral, there are slight differences amongst generations with older cohorts such as baby boomers (45%) and Gen X (43%) particularly standing tall as advocates of football’s significance, believing that football is important and influential to the culture and identity of Singapore. 

Meanwhile, younger generations such as millennials (35%) and Gen Z (37%) trail slightly behind their older counterparts in this sentiment.

The study also revealed that while only 35% say they currently support local football clubs or the national team, 70% would be encouraged to support a local football club or the national team if at least one of their criteria was fulfilled; the top three criteria identified were talented and skilled players (35%), their hobby or interest (30%); and a strong team spirit (28%).

Moreover, while existing support for local football is equal across generations (Gen Z 36%; Millennials 35%; Gen X 26%; Baby Boomers 34%), younger generations may be key to further fuelling the flames of the country’s passion towards the sport. Gen Z (80%) and Millennials (72%) lead the pack, above the national average (70%), in being potentially interested in local football, citing personal interest as the top criteria.

The survey also showed that Singaporeans who support the national team or local clubs are more optimistic about the country’s aspirations for the Unleash the Roar! project – a bid to develop a national squad that could qualify for the 2034 World Cup. Local football fans (39%) believe that Singapore will be represented at the world’s biggest sporting event within the next 10 years, while only 9% of those who identify as non-supporters agree. 

Fans who indicated their support for the Singapore Premier League (SPL) have a different take: 45% of SPL supporters believe that their partner, spouse, or family should support the same football team, compared to fans of other leagues such as Serie A (35%), UEFA Europa League (34%), Bundesliga (31%), UEFA Champions League (29%), La Liga (29%), and EPL (26%).

Aligning with this sentiment that football, especially local football, is a friends and family affair, respondents indicated that strong community engagements (26%), friend and family support (21%), and a strong team spirit (28%) are amongst the factors that will encourage them to support the local football scene.

Despite their love for the beautiful game, fans are split when it comes to paying to attend live matches. Nearly half (45%) of Singaporeans will not want to attend a live match if they have to pay, whether it involves a top European football club or the Singapore national team at the Singapore National Stadium.

Out of those that were willing to pay to attend a match, respondents were willing to pay more to attend a match involving a top European football club as compared to the Singapore national team: 16% would be willing to pay more than $100 for a top European football club, while only 7% would be willing to pay the same price for the Singapore national team.

The study also revealed that Singaporeans are mixed when it comes to catching the action away from the sidelines: 45% said they tune in to watch live matches online or on TV, with almost a third of respondents (32%) spending up to three hours a week catching up on the game and reliving each important aspect. Meanwhile, 55% said they do not watch live football matches online or on TV.

Chia Han Keong, co-host of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly and Yahoo editor, said, “Football, after all, is a team sport requiring every player to understand their roles and help his teammates. In Singapore, whether you watch or play football, it builds a community bond that few other sports can manage, and that passion and camaraderie shows up in the findings of this survey.”

He added, “As the first whistle blows on this year’s Yahoo Footballing Weekly, we wanted to take a deeper dive into the perspectives, behaviours, and attitudes of Singaporeans towards football. The insights uncovered are enlightening especially as we ponder on the current state and future fortunes of Singapore football. As a nation, we have always loved the sport, but there is clearly a long way to go before the national team can taste sweet success.”

Singapore – While Singaporean consumers are likely to be more pragmatic and price-conscious this holiday season in light of current global conditions, online spend on essential and personal care items like groceries and apparel this holiday season will still increase. This was according to the latest survey from Amazon Singapore, in collaboration with YouGov.

According to the survey, three in four Singaporeans make at least one online purchase a month, with pricing and sales discounts (50%) emerging as the top consideration factor among online shoppers looking to purchase items this holiday season, followed by product quality (15%) and trustworthiness of a website (11%).

The survey also found that more than half of online shoppers are likely to be more conservative with their spending this holiday season in light of current global economic conditions, with 57% of shoppers saying they will spend less or wait until there is more stability before making large purchases. This highlights the need for retailers to look at helping to mitigate consumers’ fear of inflation and offer budget-friendly options for customers.

On the other hand, almost three in 10 (27%) are optimistic that there will be no impact on their spending this holiday season. Online shoppers also say that the top categories they plan to spend more on during this period are apparel and accessories (38%), groceries (35%), and health and personal care (31%).

Around 53% also said they are keen to see more items from local brands on e-commerce stores, however 78% said that they will only shop from local brands if there are good deals and promotions. Meanwhile, 66% of online shoppers surveyed said that they will buy from brands that offer the lowest prices.

Lastly, while 68% of shoppers say they plan to purchase items online for themselves during the holiday, the survey found that around 37% of shoppers aged 25-34 years also plan to purchase items for their parents or partner’s parents, while around 48% of shoppers aged 35-54 years plan to purchase items for their children. This indicates that there is an opportunity for retailers with a target audience aged 25 and above to appeal to online shoppers looking to purchase items or gifts for their family and children.

Australia – Despite the Christmas festivities getting nearer, around 20% of Aussie consumers are going to buy cheaper and more practical gifts for their family and friends this Christmas, as cost of living pressures force them to be conservative in their spending habits. This is according to the latest data from digital experience provider Sitecore.

The data notes that one in five Australian shoppers expect to purchase fewer gifts and spend less overall, while the majority expect to spend the same amount as in 2021.

Despite this, one in three high-income Australians plans to spend more this season. Overall, the trend is likely to swing to more practical presents for the majority of Christmas shoppers. 

The report also found that Gen Z is feeling the pinch – one in three expect to use a BNPL (buy now pay later) service, cut back on subscriptions, regift or sell personal possessions to afford this festive season. 

Despite no restrictions on in-person shopping, online commerce will continue to dominate with only 35% planning to shop in-store more than online. While online shopping continues to be prevalent for the travel category, in-person shopping remains strong in most categories, especially food & drink, beauty, and apparel.

In addition, low-cost shipping offers are important to consumers in Australia, who believe A$9 is the maximum price they should pay. Higher-income shoppers are very likely to say that they will meet free-shipping minimums by adding to their cart, or will pay extra to guarantee delivery, two things that lower-income shoppers cannot afford to do.

Paige O’Neill, chief marketing officer at Sitecore, said, “Our survey shows that shoppers are deeply informed and looking for the best deals and online shopping experiences that brands can offer this Christmas. This season, shoppers will explore the best deals online and seek out brands that offer competitive pricing, buy-now-pay-later options and low-cost shipping.”

He added, “Brands that empathise with consumers’ inflation-forced financial constraints and focus on meeting their needs by delivering content that focuses on value and shows empathy and understanding will come out ahead this holiday season.”

Manila, Philippines – In times of distress and disaster aftermath, a large majority of Filipinos are purchasing more hygiene-related products, alluding to associating beauty and hygiene with dignity and self-respect even in times of hardships. This is according to the latest data from data analytics platform Packworks.

According to the data, 18% of the average total sales volume of sari-sari stores were hair care products. Laundry supplies and tools saw the second highest portion of average sales with 16%.

Other top priority purchase types of items purchased include breakfast items such as tea, coffee and creamer, and oats and cereals covered 14% and 13% of the total average sales, respectively.

The data also notes that spending on shampoo and hair conditioner grew amid the occurrence of three natural disasters such as Typhoon Odette in December 2021 (Leyte), Taal volcanic eruption in March 2022 (Batangas/Cavite), and Abra earthquake (Abra) in June 2022.

The remaining total average sales of other sari-sari store items were evenly spread out to other fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) such as ready-to-eat beverages, snacks, instant noodles, canned goods, cooking essentials, and body and oral care items.

There were also specific purchasing trends on several events, including more than 50% uplift in the hair care category during the period of the Taal Volcano unrest around last week of March, and a 50% to 60% increase in food spending, specifically noodles and cooking essentials, after Typhoon Odette hit Leyte.

Andres Montiel, head of data at Packworks, said, “The Philippines is a regular target of natural disasters because of its location at the Pacific Ring of Fire. Residents at the epicenter opt to buy their immediate necessities from a nearby ‘sari-sari’ store rather than go to big supermarkets.”

He added, “The analysis on the sari-sari stores becomes more valuable to track what items are deemed to be essential upon the occurrence of such natural disasters. This can be helpful in demand planning and product seasonality on the brand principal’s end.”

Singapore – A large majority of Singaporeans buy some of their favourite brands and products internationally, or do cross-border shopping. This is according to the latest study conducted by global financial technology company PayPal.

According to the report, about 79% of Singaporeans do cross-border shopping. Within it, the top three countries where most of these cross-border purchases come from are China (56%), USA (29%), and South Korea (19%).

When asked why they do cross-border purchases, 54% said that they get better prices when cross-border shopping. Meanwhile, 48% say that these products are not available locally, and 39% use cross-border shopping to discover new and interesting products.

In terms of what types of products they buy overseas, 44% of those purchases are clothes, 22% are consumer electronics and 18% are cosmetics. Meanwhile, 84% of those purchases are made through an online marketplace, 36% on the brand’s website and 34% on the retailer’s website.

Around 58% of these cross-border purchases were discovered via search engines, 44% from friend and family recommendations, and 43% from social media advertisements.

“Buyers are driven by convenience, so complicated shopping experiences are less likely to win over buyers. Make sure you optimise, enhance, and invest in your mobile user experience and purchasing journey. For example, digital wallet payment options streamline the process and will be recognised in a market that has such a focus on convenience,” the research stated.

It also added, “The mobile commerce market in Singapore dominates the online shopping space, with the highest smartphone penetration in Southeast Asia. If a cross-border merchant is looking to succeed with buyers, they should ensure that every aspect of the mobile commerce experience, from browsing to payment options, is optimised to be mobile-friendly. Technology will continue to improve, and brands are going to need to keep up.”

Auckland, New Zealand – As the cost of living rises and household budgets are put under pressure, necessities drive consumer spending in New Zealand, according to JCDecaux New Zealand’s IRIS audience research.

According to the research, 58% of respondents are planning to stop buying everyday luxury items, and 47% of respondents plan to adopt more home brands. In addition, 40% of respondents will only buy trusted brands, and 77% of respondents claim price is the main consideration when choosing between similar products.

In terms of shopping behaviours, online grocery shopping is growing: it’s also more considered and less impulsive than in-store shopping. FMCG marketers must consider how they reach and influence online shoppers, who typically tend to be younger. In addition, People are thinking about upcoming meals while they are driving, and that large format OOH impacts audiences on obligatory journeys, when they are making mental shopping lists of the things they need.

For Victoria Parsons, senior strategy and insights manager at JCDecaux New Zealand said: they noted that 91% of respondents have their household budgets being stretched and a quarter of respondents reporting that they are actively cutting back. 

“For New Zealanders noting reduced disposable incomes, grocery shopping is an easy place to make cuts. Shoppers are increasingly paying close attention to what goes onto lists and intro trolleys. It is interesting to understand consumer perceptions as to what is a necessity and what is a luxury; we see consumers justifying brand purchases as necessary for quite personal reasons,” Parsons said.

She added, “Out-of-home can be a powerful platform to impact and influence in-store and online shoppers throughout the day while they are mentally planning their shopping lists. 83% of survey participants agree that brands that advertise on Large Format are quality brands, which is key for consumers to overcome price sensitivity and avoid replacement by home brands.”

Meanwhile, Gary Rosewarne, sales director at JCDecaux New Zealand, commented, “What consumers deem an everyday luxury is interesting. Respondents told us items such as coffee and tea, bread, self-care and dairy are non-negotiable in terms of buying favourite or quality brands, whereas for canned and frozen goods, and cleaning products, people are shopping the category based on price. Luxury does not mean premium, it means moments where you expect quality FMCG experiences and won’t trade down – you justify the price premium.

Singapore – Despite the rising number of digital-only banking offerings, around 73% of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region still trust traditional banking systems, compared to the 44% of consumers saying they trust digital-only banking systems, according to the latest data from YouGov.

While 82% of Indonesians trust traditional banks, only around 38% trust digital-only banks. Similarly, 78% of Singaporeans trust traditional banks, and 37% trust digital-only banks. 

Meanwhile, confidence in digital-only banks is highest among consumers in Australia and India – where trust is at most 21% points lower than that for traditional banks. Around 62% of Australians trust digital-only banks versus 75% for traditional banks, while 51% of Indians trust digital-only banks versus under 72% for traditional banks.

Lastly, in China and Hong Kong, trust in digital-only banks lags that of traditional banks by 30% and 37% points respectively.

In terms of Gen Z consumer behaviour, trust in digital-only banks lags traditional banks the most among Gen Z consumers in Singapore by 29 points and Hong Kong by 26 points – above the APAC average of a 19-point trust gap – less so in Indonesia by 13 points and Australia by 8 points.  

Meanwhile, around 39% of Gen Z consumers in Hong Kong trust digital-only banks, significantly lower than that of the APAC average of 48%. Additionally, Gen Z consumers’ trust of traditional banks is also significantly lower in Australia, around 53%, but significantly higher in Singapore at around 79% when compared to the APAC average of 67%.

Among millennials, 72% trust traditional banks while around 47% have confidence in digital-only banks. Trust in digital-only banks lags traditional banks the most among Millennial consumers in Hong Kong and Singapore, both by 33 points– above the APAC average of a 25-point trust gap – less so in Indonesia by 22 points and Australia by 15 points. 

Notably, millennial consumers’ trust of digital-only banks in Hong Kong of 37% and Singapore of 40% is significantly lower than that of the APAC average of 47%. Additionally, Millennial consumers’ trust of traditional banks in Australia of 61% is also significantly lower than that of the APAC average of 72%.