Filipinos are fastest adopters of online shopping in region

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): Filipino consumers have doubled the number of digital platforms they are using for online shopping — and they do not mind switching apps if other merchants can deliver their products more quickly, a study by social media giant Meta and management consultancy firm Bain & Co showed.

In their recent joint report, Meta and Bain & Co said each user in the country has used about 16 apps based on a June 2022 survey, which was 108 per cent more than the figure registered in the same period last year.

This was the highest growth observed in South-East Asia. Following the Philippines was Vietnam with 96 per cent, and Indonesia and Thailand with 90 per cent each.

The online platforms being used by the respondents include e-commerce marketplaces, food delivery, large retailer websites, small online shops and consumer product categories.

“Consumers across South-East Asia are doing their shopping at more online platforms than before. This trend further aligns with our findings that more consumers in the region are experimenting with new or different shopping experiences,” the study noted.

Meanwhile, the Philippines—along with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand—cited faster delivery time as a reason for consumers to switch platforms. This underlines how crucial customer experience is when it comes to online transactions.

But “South-East Asian consumers switched brands mainly for value and product quality,” the study stressed. Meta and Bain & Co. explained that consumers possibly had given more focus on value for money due to increasing prices of goods.

The brand switching behaviour was “more apparent” in nonessential goods, including clothing and footwear, electronics and beauty products.