Tag: Survey

Sydney, Australia – Despite Amazon being a well-known global e-commerce giant, online shoppers across Australia still find Amazon not to be a top choice for their online shopping needs, a new survey from digital experience management company Sitecore shows.

According to their latest data, only a fifth of their overall Australian respondents say Amazon as their top choice for online shopping. Despite such findings, Amazon is mainly gaining traction from their younger generation customers. Through the platform’s online retail service, Sitecore notes that adoption of Amazon as the go-to site is higher among Gen Z, compared to older generations (31% v 21%).

This finding is strengthened by the fact that the platform’s online retail experience has resulted in nearly one in three Australian consumers finding Amazon’s shopping experience to be more personalized when compared with other retailers. On aggregate, Amazon shoppers in Australia would move to other retailers if they provided the same incentives, discounts and purchase experience as Amazon.

Amid positive notes of high trust and personalization of Amazon’s shopping experience, 4 in 10 Australians—and half of Gen Z (53% vs. 39% among older gens) – would like to reduce the amount of shopping they do on Amazon. The research also said that Gen Z in Australia are more likely to shop directly from brands online, rather than Amazon (75% vs 66%).

Part of the reason for this consumer behavior of moving away from big brands is due to the fact that many Aussies fear low-quality and/or counterfeit products, which might be more evident in the larger platforms.

Paige O’Neill, CMO at Sitecore, comments on the findings, “The battle for digital retailer brand preference is in its early days in Australia. There is an opportunity here for Internet commerce players to expand their share of the market, but it won’t be an easy win. They’ll need to offer comparable levels of service and personalization throughout the customer journey as the fight for market share heats up.”

Singapore – Despite the critical importance of data in businesses, nearly all of business leaders in Asia Pacific admit to be challenged in using them to their advantage in creating significant business decisions, new data from a survey from data integration company Talend.

According to the global survey, 96% of APAC respondents admit to such practice, while 76% of APAC respondents admit to using it everyday, and 35% of APAC respondents admit to not using data for their business decisions.

Such practice of data usage is best manifested in the behavior of the respondents in dealing with creating data deliverables based on the saturation of data, as 45% of APAC respondents are able to create timely deliverables. For Tabled, there is a stark difference between data-saturated and data-driven. Companies have more access to data than ever before, but there’s very little way to make sense of it. Data management companies have been offering to solve these problems for years — but they’re focused on the mechanics of data like moving it and storing it.

Christal Bemont, CEO at Talend, notes that most business leaders’ relationships are deemed ‘unhealthy’, considering the fact that only 45% of APAC business leaders trust the data they are working with, and 35% of APAC respondents say that they are still making decisions based on gut instincts.

“The reality of data is falling well short of the industry’s vision. Data management, which largely focuses on moving and storing data, doesn’t take into account the overall health of data. Therefore, in trying to manage data, all companies are creating digital landfills of corporate information. This has to change. Our vision of data health is the future because it recognizes the fundamental standards that are critical for corporate survival,” Bemont explains.

In terms of data health, Talend also revealed that 13% of APAC respondents do not think that their company’s investments in data management is worth it, and 40% of APAC respondents report that there are no standards for data quality at their company.

Despite the negative light, 75% of APAC respondents state that they would like to make the majority of their decisions based on data.

Meanwhile, in terms of corporate objective, factors such as decreasing operation cost (40% of APAC respondents), monitoring performance (71% of APAC respondents), customer experience improvement (76% of APAC respondents) and increasing revenue (53% of APAC respondents) are driving forces to push APAC business leaders into utilizing significant data.

To drive such data use among APAC executives, factors such as ensuring data quality (56% of APAC respondents), making data available to the right person (47% of APAC respondents), ample skilled resources (52% of APAC respondents), and meeting security and compliance standards (49% of APAC respondents) must be met to ensure smooth process of data utilization.

Around 97% of APAC respondents agree to a certain extent that there should be cross-industry standard metrics to assess the quality of all enterprise data.

Interestingly, Talend noted that globally, sales and marketing teams are the least data-driven departments, as nearly half of sales and marketing executives (48%) make the majority of their decisions without data. Meanwhile, the finance department follows closely with 44% of finance executives reporting that they make the majority of their decisions without relying on data.

Sydney, Australia – Being digital natives themselves, Gen Z consumers in Australia are now demanding greater service from brands online, new survey from digital experience platform Sitecore shows.

About 1 in 10 will switch their loyalty after a poor online shopping experience – most (55%) will give multiple second chances. However, Australian Gen Z shoppers have a low tolerance for browsing online stores, as most will give up after no more than 10 pages of browsing (on average, five pages of browsing).

Meanwhile, a quarter or more Gen Z in Australia also rank same or next day delivery, easy site navigation, and having items in stock as their top three criteria of shopping online. More than four in ten Gen Z in Australia say that having a free delivery option is most important to them in online shopping. However, free delivery is less important to Gen Z (44%) compared to older generations (55%). Gen Z are also more likely to say that an app or website that works well on mobile is critical to their shopping experience (60% vs 49% for older generations).

“The pandemic has tested the loyalty of Gen Z shoppers in Australia, leading them to become digital converts who show less loyalty to their pre-pandemic ‘go-to’ brands. They are also opting to shop more via mobile and direct from brands. Australian Gen Z treats online shopping as an experience to enjoy and expect highly personalized, exciting online experiences that work on mobile and can offer same-day delivery,” said Paige O’Neill, chief marketing officer at Sitecore.

In addition, despite huge patronage to online e-commerce sites, top physical retail outlets will remain attractive to Gen Z, particularly for exploring such as shopping local, socializing, and window shopping—but Gen Z shoppers said online brings the convenience factors such as advantages of availability of products, lower cost, time-saving, predetermined purchases, or just simply being able to stay in. 

Socializing as a reason to go back to retail stores and malls is particularly strong for Gen Z (47% vs. 30% among older gens). Gen Z is more likely to say their online experience with local retailers was not as slick as they expected it to be (40% vs. 26% among older gens).

Manila, Philippines – Despite the majority of Filipino small businesses successfully deploying digital finance gateways, access to external finance, on the other hand, may hamper their business growth, new survey from professional accounting body CPA Australia shows.

According to the report., cash flow difficulties are having a negative effect on some Filipino small businesses as 64% of respondents sought external funds last year; with 43% seeking funds for business growth, and 32% for survival.

However, only 13% of respondents found accessing external finance easy or very easy, the lowest of the markets surveyed. This may explain why respondents mainly sought funds from friends or family (21%) or personal resources (21%), compared to 15% from a bank. Only 16% of Filipino small businesses expect accessing external finance to be easy or very easy in 2021, which is lower than the survey average of 28%.

Part of this issue can be attributed to COVID-19 restrictions, with more than half (58%) of Filipino respondents reported being negatively impacted by COVID-19. However, 46% say they have already recovered or expect to recover in 2021, while 62% of small businesses grew in 2020. 

Filipino small businesses made greater use of digital technologies in 2020 as the pandemic accelerated the use of e-commerce. Around 27% of Filipino small businesses reported that they began or increased their focus on online sales in response to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, 61% of respondents received more than 10% of sales from digital or online payment technologies such as GCash, DragonPay, and PesoPay, up from 47% in 2019. About 62% of small businesses received more than 1% of their revenue from online sales, up from 50% in 2019.

According to Mark Chau, regional general manager of business development international at CPA Australia, dynamism among Filipino small businesses should help drive an economic rebound this year as restrictions are gradually eased and global economic activity returns to normal.

“The survey shows that small businesses in the Philippines are eager to innovate and engage with customers through social media. A vibrant and youthful workforce together with growing domestic demand supported the sector in 2020,” Chaus stated.

About 73% of Filipino small businesses expect to grow in 2021, with 52% intending to increase employees. 22% anticipate that revenue from overseas markets will grow strongly, while 31% say they will introduce a new product, process or service to the local or overseas markets, the second highest of the markets surveyed.

“Difficulties in accessing external finance may hinder business plans to hire more employees, invest in technology or expand to new markets. Small businesses in the Philippines should consider seeking professional advice to maximize their success in obtaining external finance,” Chau added.

Singapore – A new survey by social media app Snapchat found that majority of its users, or 7 in 10 of Snapchatters highly value their authenticity online, feeling the need to be recognized, seen, and heard for ‘who they are’ and for their presence on digital media to ‘reflect their true selves’. This is compared to 58% of non-Snapchatters.

Furthermore, the study showed that the ‘Snapchat generation’ is not confined to traditional methods of communication, given the emergence of a variety of digital communication tools today.

The top five ways Snapchatters in APAC use to communicate without words are photos (78%), emojis or emoticons (75%), videos or video messages (59%), video calling (58%), and stickers (57%).

Director of Market Development for Snap SEA Anubhav Nayyar commented that they found that the Snapchat Generation is particularly unique in Asia-Pacific.

“They are identified by a strong desire for authenticity in their offline and online personas. They are also highly mindful of the social issues of today, and look towards harnessing their creativity, empathy, and digital tools at their command to impact the change they want to see in this world,” said Nayyar.

Further, the survey touched on users’ intentions toward virtual experiences. Snapchatters in the region are 1.5 times more inclined than non-Snapchatters to gravitate to immersive video and mobile games, including Augmented Reality (AR) experiences. This has manifested in how Snapchatters use AR to try on products virtually, compared to non-Snapchatters.

The biggest difference is seen in Japan, where 27% of Snapchatters use AR for product try-ons, compared to just 2% of non-Snapchatters in the country. Malaysia, on the other hand, has the smallest gap where 17% of Snapchatters and 9% of non Snapchatters are already using the technology to try products.

Snapchat surveyed more than 8,200 users across five APAC countries, such as Malaysia, Japan, and Australia as well as Indonesia, and India.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – New report from integrated car e-commerce platform Carsome showed a significant change in private car ownership and the aspect of buying and selling of cars among consumers in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand despite COVID-19.

Malaysian and Indonesia consumers have shown a greater interest in buying cars after the pandemic lockdowns, with up to 32% and 12% of consumers respectively showing interest compared to pre-lockdown behavior.

Meanwhile, all three markets saw an increase in consumers wanting to sell their cars, with Malaysia registering a 133% spike of consumers, followed by Indonesians (up 52%) and Thais (up 15%). 

As more and more consumers are selling their old cars due to getting more cash on hand, the usage of car selling platforms, including Carsome, also became popular 55% among Malaysian respondents, 34% among Indonesian respondents and 19% among Thai respondents. 

The increase of consumers selling their cars all have primary reasons in doing so due to financial constraints brought by unstable income and lack of budget. Other reasons include selling the much older car in favor of an existing usable car in their property, savings for future circumstances, and uncertainty of the economy after the pandemic woes.

On average, most Malaysian respondents (58%) plan to buy a car in a span of 1-6 months, while Indonesians (64%) and Thais (63%) plan to buy a car in a span of 7-12 months. Those that buy a car in a shorter time span reason out that a car is urgent to carry on daily duties. 

In terms of selling their cars, all the three markets shared an equal view of selling their cars in a span of 12 months, adding up the reason for replacing the car and optimism for the economy post-pandemic on reasons why to sell the car, aside from extra finances. In addition, all markets have shared the same perception that car dealers and car inspection centers are vital in selling cars to reduce contact of COVID-19 (Malaysians, 83%; Indonesians, 92%; Thai, 94%)

More than 50% of Malaysian and Indonesian respondents have lessened their car usage, while Thais have maintained the level of car usage pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way Southeast Asians think of car ownership and mobility. The need to balance socially distancing and financial stability is leading many to a conclusion that the idea of car ownership is valuable to them during the pandemic. The car industry will continue to thrive as more Southeast Asians plan their car buying and selling within one to six months, creating a significant flow of car sales in the industry,” Carsome said in a statement.

Carsome conducted the survey in October 2020 among 1,000 Malaysian consumers, 1,005 Indonesian consumers and 1,055 Thai consumers. The survey was carried out through online panels sourced by research agencies.

Singapore – The pandemic, which caused a drastic decline in retail sales, has created a new brand loyalty shift among Singaporean consumers causing for them to switch brands this year, new research from customer experience company Qualtrics show.

About 56% of the respondents have opted out for cheaper brands during the pandemic. Similarly, 57% of the respondents said that they are more likely to buy items on promotion, while half (51%) have bought different brands due to availability.

“While we know consumers will always value cost, quality, and convenience, findings from the Qualtrics study highlight the major extent to which people are actively seeking out alternatives. In fact, a third of respondents said they have tried at least one different brand since the pandemic began,” said Lisa Khatri, research and brand experience lead for Qualtrics in APJ.

The research also showed renewed consumer priorities among Singaporeans in terms of where to spend their money.

There has been a significant increase in purchases relating to takeaways and home delivery systems (50%), fresh food (42%), and packaged groceries (37%) as well as utility bills and service expenditure (47%), and cleaning products (35%). On the other hand, the majority of the consumers said that they’re spending less on luxury brands and products (60%), entertainment and travel (60%), eating out at restaurants (55%), and alcohol (48%).

Singapore — YouTrip conducted the Travel Intent Survey 2020 to analyze post-COVID-19 travel intentions of 6,000 Singaporeans. The survey aimed to understand the outlook of travel recovery and changes to travel behaviors of Singaporeans as a result of the pandemic.

First Travel Destination

With less than 6 months till the end of the year, slightly more than half of the respondents (54%) indicated that they’ll be traveling in 2020 as soon as travel restrictions lift. Another 20% of Singaporeans would be enticed to travel in 2020 if there’s an attractive promotion, suggesting that both border restrictions and prices spur travel recovery. Among Singaporeans with immediate travel intentions within 2020, millennial travelers aged 25 to 34 years old are the most adventurous (35%). Comparatively, only 22% of travelers aged 35 to 44 years and 11% of travelers aged 55 to 64 years old expect to travel within the year.

Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder and CEO of YouTrip said: “It’s encouraging to see signs of travel recovering after months of pent up demand. Within our community of users, many of them are avid travelers who I believe will be amongst the first movers for the initial travel recovery.”

Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder and CEO of YouTrip
Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder and CEO of YouTrip

Popular countries like Japan (23%), Thailand (12%), and Malaysia (11%) remain top choices for Singaporeans, followed by Australia (8%), South Korea (7%), Taiwan (6%), Mainland China (5%), New Zealand (4%), Indonesia (4%), and Vietnam (2%). As for COVID-19 hotspot countries, 25% more Singaporeans are willing to travel there in the first half of 2021 (40%) as compared to 2020 (15%), signaling a gradual recovery of tourism in the most affected countries.

The New-Normal in Travelling

As an indicator of the pent up demand for travel, 85% of Singaporeans are prepared to spend more on their next holiday. 4 in 10 Singaporeans are willing to budget 30% or more for their upcoming travel plans as a way to compensate previously canceled plans.

The Chief Economist from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Brian Pearce estimates that flight tickets will cost 43% to 54% higher than previous prices due to in-flight social distancing policies. Even though Singaporeans have expressed their enthusiasm for their next holiday, most of them are value-driven when it comes to transport expenses. 72% of respondents said they will be deterred by higher flight ticket prices and would wait for promotional prices before making their travel plans.

This is echoed in 58% of respondents stating that promotional prices will entice them to resume traveling in 2020, further suggesting that Singaporeans are value-driven. “Pay Now, Travel Later” promotions seem to be a viable option for Singaporeans, with more than 70% indicating that they will be keen to purchase if the discounts are at least half-priced or more. Other factors that could influence their purchase include the flexibility of stay and eligibility for full refunds.

“We’re taking the time to anticipate and understand the new-normal of travel, and the different ways it’ll impact travelers. With this understanding, YouTrip will be ready to better serve our users’ needs once travel resumes,” Caecilia adds.

Alternatives to Travel Plans

In view of canceled travel plans in 2020, 28% of respondents stated that they’ll be saving the money instead. Local staycation (15%), shopping (14%), and visiting local tourist attractions (5%) are amongst alternative options for Singaporeans.