More Asia Pacific consumers seeking international deals: Rakuten Marketing

Brands have an opportunity to engage a growing segment of online shoppers in APAC actively looking for deals outside of their home markets, according to a new report by Rakuten Marketing.

According to a recent survey by the marketing technology firm, interest in purchasing internationally is highest amongst coupon users (68%) and 18-34-year-old shoppers in APAC (65%), as well as worldwide (67%).

In Singapore, 99% of consumers have purchased from another country already with 61% of shoppers looking to buy more online next year. By comparison, only 43% of UK shoppers are looking to increase online purchases next year.

The report also found that 58% of global consumers would purchase more international products online if they were made aware of the brands, with the most popular type of products being apparel and accessories (54%).

To make the most of this international purchasing opportunity, particularly from APAC, brands must overcome key barriers. Despite the arrival of freight forwarding, 67% of APAC consumers still perceive shipping costs and wait times to be the largest barrier to purchasing a product internationally.

Moreover, roughly a quarter of both coupon users and the 18-34 demographic report cost as the greatest barrier to their international purchase journey.

Given the diversity of consumer expectations, Rakuten noted that it is vital for marketing efforts to be responsive. Enabling consumers in APAC with bespoke discounts can help purchase decisions.

Fifty seven percent of APAC consumers require at least a 25-49% discount from the full price of an item of apparel when considering a purchase. Just over a third are waiting for a discount between 50-74%.

Anthony Capano, MD, International at Rakuten Marketing noted that simply being online is not enough.

“It’s about being able to test and optimise across a variety of publishers to find what resonates. To succeed, brands need to excel at delivering the expected breadth of product offerings and removing the largest barriers to purchase,” he said.

Aligning marketing with the individual consumer need is even more important given 63% of global consumers surveyed state they typically only consider one or two brands when purchasing something online. Two-thirds of consumers stress the importance of breadth of selection and simplicity of the shopping experience, with millennials having high expectations.

Capano added that leaning on in-market expertise is a crucial element for success.“It can feel quite alien to suddenly lead your campaigns with an entirely different message for a new market, but it’s important to realise this is the first step in proving to global consumers that you understand their needs and deserve their loyalty.”

For the report, the company surveyed 3,570 consumers in 2019 across the United Kingdom Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Singapore and the United States.

source: http://www.warc.com

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