A new Adobe Digital Index report predicts that online holiday spending in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region will be led by China, reaching an estimated US$150 billion.
China is expected to represent 55% of the region’s total online spending. Almost half (49%) of Chinese consumers surveyed anticipate increasing their online spending this holiday season. The average Chinese internet user is projected to spend US$210 online in November and December, contributing to 20% of the entire year’s online sales.
Following China, Japan is projected to have the second-highest online spending in the region, with an estimated US$37 billion (a 5% increase year-over-year), while Australia is expected to reach US$7 billion. Surveys indicate that 14% of Australians and 16% of Singaporeans plan to spend more during this holiday season. Consumer spending across the remaining APAC region is anticipated to be comparable to the previous year.
Adobe’s global Online Shopping Prediction leverages data from 55 million product SKUs and over one trillion retail websites, gathered over the past seven years. The holiday season makes up 20% of global online spending, with Austria and the US leading the way.
APAC consumers are not only shopping online more frequently but also becoming more efficient. Over 20% of surveyed shoppers in each country expect to spend less time on holiday shopping this year, potentially allowing for more time with family and friends.
“Holiday shopping requires a significant investment, and consumers are becoming more strategic each year. They utilize online and mobile shopping to find the most sought-after gifts at the best prices,” says Tamara Gaffney, principal research analyst for Adobe Digital Index.
Gaffney emphasizes mobile’s growing role in holiday shopping habits: “We anticipate Southeast Asia will be at the forefront of mobile shopping in the coming months, with 21% of e-commerce transactions happening on smartphones and about 10% on tablets. Japanese shoppers are not far behind, with predictions of 24% of e-commerce purchases on smartphones and 6% on tablets.”
Consumers also find online shopping less stressful than in-store shopping. In Australia, nearly 19% of consumers find offline shopping extremely stressful, compared to only 6% feeling the same about online shopping. China is the only surveyed country where online and offline shopping stress levels are perceived as equal.
Here are some additional findings:
Low prices and good deals are key motivators for APAC consumers to shop online, with free shipping being a particularly strong incentive for shoppers in Australia and Singapore.
While online shopping during the holidays is increasingly appealing, most APAC consumers still find shopping on their mobile devices more stressful than using a desktop, laptop, or tablet.
Product reviews are a top influencer for shoppers considering a major purchase, as reported by 36% of consumers in Australia, 43% in China, and 44% in Singapore.
Consumers in Singapore and China are more likely to incorporate social media into their shopping experience. 41% of Singaporean and 49% of Chinese shoppers report using social media to inform their holiday shopping decisions, compared to only 23% of Australian respondents.
Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about the 2015 festive season, including:
Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the pleasure edition
Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the tech edition
How Facebook sees mobile redefining the season
Hong Kong’s Winter Wonderland experience
The City of Sydney’s Christmas programme
Sofitel So Singapore’s French fusion Christmas menu
The launch of Casa Ferrero, Ferrero Rocher’s popup store
House of Sillage launches the Holiday by House of Sillage fragrance