As e-commerce continues to thrive, a trend emerged that serves as a prediction of the major driving force behind the business’s future growth in the Philippines—a small but astute group of Filipino consumers, according to a white paper released by Geopost and Ninja Van Philippines
Titled “What’s next for the future of e-commerce in Southeast Asia,” the study gathered 9,000 participants from across six ASEAN nations—namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand, in addition to the Philippines—in a bid to identify a group affectionately referred to as “e-shopaholics” by Ninja Van.
Narrowed down to just the respondents in the Philippines, it is revealed that 19 percent of the consumers fit into the category of “e-shopaholics” whose combined purchases make up 47% of the total purchases made in the country.
Unsurprisingly, said minority group is comprised of individuals who are classified as early adopters of e-commerce, known for their expertise in navigating the e-commerce ecosystem while being highly skilled in leveraging multiple channels to get what they want.
True to the label, e-shopaholics consider shopping to be their second nature, able to buy more frequently and with variety, with a degree that is said to be twice as much as the average online shopper.
Filipino e-shopaholics appear to make their purchases largely from social media, where 85 percent of transactions are said to have originated.
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, e-shopaholics make up 15 percent of their shopper population while taking up 45 percent of the overall purchases of the region. Purchases decisions are made mainly on brands they adhere to at 54 percent while 44 percent make procurement based chiefly on influencer recommendations.
Looking into the stuff that Pinoy e-shopaholics love buying online, fashion, beauty, healthcare, small furniture, and home décor products appear to be at the top of the list.