Bangkok--28 Oct--Mindshare
Yet today’s advertisers are ignoring the O2O opportunity.
Mindshare Thailand, the leading marketing and media network in Thailand reveals today “The rise of e-commerce in Thailand, and changing consumer’s behavior”. Today’s consumers are shopping in the world where digital, social and mobile are combined to “Discover-Share-Shop”. Choices are based on peers’ opinion and experiences rather than advertising as consumers can easily flip between online and offline worlds (O2O Crossroad). While physical stores remain an important part of consumers journey, the lines between online and offline are increasingly blurred.
The aim of this study was to investigate the trends of e-commerce in Thailand, how it impacts shopper behaviors, and what actions marketers can do to adjust their communication strategies. The findings are based on both qualitative and quantitative research; in-depth interview with 12 Bangkok consumers aged 15 - 39 years old and 6 gurus in Thailand e-commerce, and research data of Mindshare 3D, Euromonitor, MillwardBrown, Nielsen, eMarketer, Google, Comscore, and etc.
Suwimol Junperngprakiat, Director of Business Planning, Mindshare, says “It doesn’t matter if you are in e-commerce business or not, it’s time to pay attention to the term O2O or Online to Offline. Online influence drives offline sales. Today marketers are in the highly transformative time as an infinite brand experience is working in both the online and offline worlds. The brand battle is now at the O2O crossroad. Embracing digital, social, and mobile are no longer an opportunity but a necessity for driving sales. Last year 1.5 trillion baht or 5 percent of total retail sales have been brought online. But offline shopping has also been influenced by online media as much as 80%. It’s time marketers must think, and do differently. ‘Adaptive Marketing’ is an approach that enables marketers to truly tailor their activities in rapid and unparalleled ways to meet ever changing customers’ demands based on real time data.
Thailand e-commerce reached an important turning point as a result of 3 main factors:
1. Strong expansion of hi-speed internet coverage throughout the country
2. Rates for smartphone ownership are rising steadily
3. Increasing numbers and popularity of social media
8 ways to win the battle at the O2O crossroads
1. Connect the dots between online and offline channels and build a fluid customer experience without breaches
2. Put mobile at the center of your communication, mobile is building the culture of m-commerce anywhere
3. Search needs to evolve beyond just “always on”, adding category and lifestyle to search to connect with fans not just buyers
4. Constantly listen to the social buzz, and response to negative comments
5. Be part of the conversation, generate content that builds “earned media” and tells the brand story
6. Understand your digital micro segmentation, digital targeting can be as precise as a single person unlike TV
7. Amplify the voice of your advocates, these are your most influential and powerful assets so use them
8. Always be adaptive, measure everything and act in real time