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The ability to redirect deliveries or manage delivery locations and dates is important to online shoppers.
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High smartphone penetration has propelled social media as a source of online shopping
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Greener delivery options becoming vital considerations for e-commerce consumers
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – October 12, 2023 – The new survey of online shoppers “Global Online Shopper Survey 2023” by DHL eCommerce found that 94% of e-commerce shoppers in Asia Pacific will abandon their cart if their preferred delivery options are not offered to them. This includes different delivery locations, the ability to redirect the shipment or change delivery method. Nearly one in five shoppers in Asia Pacific frequently abandon their shopping cart, highlighting the importance of offering flexible delivery options.
Commissioned by DHL eCommerce, the study examines the purchasing behaviors of 11,500 e-commerce customers in 13 countries around the world, including Australia, China, India, Malaysia and Thailand. Survey participants answered questions about their attitudes towards cross-border shopping, deliveries and returns, and sustainability. It aims to provide an overview of the international e-commerce industry, consumer expectations from e-commerce companies and delivery providers.
Asia Pacific Online Shoppers Want Flexible Shipping Options
Visibility of the shipping journey from purchase to delivery is important for online shoppers in the Asia Pacific region. Nearly 82% expressed their desire to have end-to-end tracking of all their shipments, regardless of their value or origin. Additionally, while most still prefer home deliveries, about 18% want other delivery options. This is particularly evident in China, where 45% of respondents prefer to have the option of leaving their package with a neighbor or another safe location, a parcel distributor or parcel store.
About half of respondents in the region also said they are frustrated when delivery times are long (53%) and costs are high (52%) when shopping online. These figures are slightly higher than the global average of 45% and 52%. To improve these sentiments, one in two respondents in Asia Pacific indicated that they wanted faster delivery of their purchases. Additionally, 65% of respondents prefer free shipping, while 41% expect free returns.
“People’s online shopping behaviors are changing. As they shop more online domestically and internationally, they are exposed to many more options and want to have a sense of control over their purchases. They now have “even higher expectations for e-commerce companies as well,” said Pablo Ciano, CEO. for DHL e-commerce.
Tendency to shop cross-border
As cross-border e-commerce continues to gain traction, consumers are increasingly open to purchasing from international retailers. The survey reveals that 52% of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region frequently shop abroad. Chinese and Thai people shop abroad most often, with 20% of Chinese and 23% of Thais shopping at least once a day.
Respondents in the Asia Pacific region named higher quality products (44%) as the main reason for shopping cross-border, followed by not having a product or brand in their country (43%). On the other hand, barriers to cross-border shopping for online shoppers in the Asia-Pacific region are long delivery times (55%) and fear of fraud (49%). This means that online retailers and delivery providers must be able to give shoppers confidence that their purchases will arrive quickly and safely.
Turn to social media to make your purchases
The Asia Pacific region is seeing growing interest in commerce on social media. Already, an average of 48% of online shoppers in Australia, India, Malaysia and Thailand have purchased on Facebook. However, TikTok is more popular in Malaysia and Thailand, where 57% and 52% respectively reported using the platform. In China, Douyin and WeChat are preferred, with 70% of online shoppers shopping on Douyin and 47% on WeChat.
This trend is driven by a variety of factors, including the region’s large Gen Z population.
By 2025, Generation Z consumers (born between 1996 and 2012) are expected to make up a quarter of the region’s population.. This consumer segment actively consumes content on social media platforms, making it the channel for businesses to monitor for cross-border sales. The other factor is the high penetration of smartphones in the region where
the adoption rate was 76% in 2022which leads 78% of consumers to make their purchases using their smartphone.
Sustainability matters to consumers
Sustainable and eco-friendly delivery solutions are becoming increasingly important in consumers’ purchasing considerations, with 77% of respondents in the region saying so – surpassing the global average of 71%. Additionally, respondents in India (92%) and Thailand (87%) are among the three countries most concerned about sustainability when shopping online, after Nigeria (96%).
More than one in three (38.8%) online shoppers in the region are also more willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, compared to a global average of 28%. Likewise, 38% are also willing to pay more for a greener delivery option. These observations highlight the need for e-commerce retailers to integrate sustainability into their product offerings or work with sustainable delivery providers.
The DHL Online Shopper Survey 2023 is available for free download at:
Online Buyer Survey 2023
Hashtag: #DHLeCommerce #OnlineShopperSurvey #Ecommerce
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
