80% of Singaporean users attest to the usefulness and convenience that e-commerce platforms like Shopee offer as a one-stop shopping platform
SINGAPORE 24 March 2023 – Shopee Singapore officially unveils its report, ‘Past the Starting Line: Adapting to Singapore’s Digital Consumers in 2023’. To better understand e-commerce usage and attitudes of consumers, Shopee Singapore conducted an online survey in Singapore on 5 December 2022 among 1,361 Shopee users aged 15 to 70 years old. These data-driven insights will allow businesses to more strategically leverage e-commerce and digital services to stay relevant and achieve their goals in this changing digital landscape.
Zhou Junjie, Chief Commercial Officer, Shopee said, “As digital consumers continue to shape the future of the digital economy, it is important to be able to identify their evolving needs and preferences while adapting quickly to meet them. This year, we are sharing key trends that we have observed among Singaporean users, which indicate increasing and savvier use of digital services, the rise of more purposeful buyers alongside the growing adoption of e-commerce and online entertainment among older users. This builds on our commitment of helping our partners better engage digital consumers and unlock more opportunities in the long term. We will also continue to adopt a user-centric approach using these insights to create a positive experience for all Shopee users.”
1. Increased and savvier use of digital services
The pandemic has left a lasting impact on online shopping behaviors and the use of digital services. With the availability of a greater variety of items on e-commerce platforms, 87% of respondents shared that e-commerce shopping offers convenience and has made a significant positive impact on their lives. Users are also making more orders and buying more products online, with more than 70% of respondents receiving up to five packages from e-commerce platforms per month.
E-commerce platforms are expected to remain popular among consumers in Singapore. When asked about their general sentiment about shopping on e-commerce platforms, 2 in 3 surveyed users shared that Shopee is now a part of their daily routine. Furthermore, Shopee has also become crucial in users’ entire end-to-end shopping journey, with over 75% of users in Singapore choosing to search, compare and eventually buy a product on Shopee. With consumers turning to Shopee to address their shopping needs, it remains an important platform for brands and sellers to reach and deepen their connection with these digital-first shoppers.
2. The rise of more purposeful buyers
Trust is more important than ever, with consumers in Singapore becoming more discerning of quality. They scrutinise the authenticity of what they buy and the sellers they buy from. They are also actively reading and leaving reviews, to ensure they and others alike can make informed purchasing decisions. In fact, 3 in 4 respondents find customer reviews on Shopee reliable and believe that they help with their purchasing decisions. Besides encouraging more users to leave product and shop ratings, Shopee is also committed to continually improve the shopping experience on the platform, enabling users to shop confidently.
Digital consumers are also turning to Shopee’s diverse Key Opinion Leaders and affiliates for their recommendations on which brands and sellers to buy from. Additionally, over 60% of respondents aged 35 and above shared that product features on Shopee Live are key to influencing their purchase decisions on Shopee. The real-time reviews and recommendations from hosts on Shopee Live and affiliates allow users to get a better understanding of the products, and ultimately influence their purchasing decisions. With Shopee’s existing Affiliate Marketing Solution (AMS) as well as strong network of talent and expertise in content creation on Shopee Live, brands and sellers can strengthen their brands’ reputation, and in turn, increase their sales. This is also another creative way for sellers to communicate their brand story, build awareness of their store promotions, and grow their brand presence.
3. Growing adoption of e-commerce and online entertainment among older users
With the silver generation becoming more tech-savvy in recent years, more older users are coming online to not only shop but to also be entertained. 70% of all silver generation respondents (aged 55 and above) said they have integrated e-commerce into their daily routine, while 84% said they are buying a larger variety of items online, compared to 80% for Gen Z and Gen X.
There is also increasing interest among older users in engaging with Shopee’s in-app games and livestream content. 1 in 2 seniors say that the Shopee app and games have kept them engaged during their free time. For businesses, this presents more opportunity to access this growing user segment, if they are able to tap on the right mix of content at the right time to reach these users.
