Rakuten-2019亚太地区电子商务状况报告（英文）-2019.10-30页_9mb

2019 State of e-Commerce, Asia-Pacific Summary

Core Content

The 2019 State of e-Commerce, Asia-Pacific report by Rakuten Marketing provides insights into the online shopping behavior of consumers across nine key markets in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. It highlights the shift in consumer preferences, the main barriers to online shopping, and the product categories that drive online expenditure. The report aims to assist brands and marketers in understanding these trends to inform their strategies for expanding into APAC markets.

Key Insights

1. Where are consumers shopping?

• m-Commerce has surpassed desktop/laptop in five out of nine APAC markets, and overall, it accounts for 46% of total online sales, compared to 41% for desktop/laptop.
• In-store purchases remain the dominant form of retail spending across the region, accounting for 53% of total retail spend.
• Main barriers to online shopping include:
  • High shipping costs (most common across all markets)
  • Concerns about returning items
  • Lack of payment options and security
  • Website legitimacy concerns

2. What are consumers buying?

• Groceries & Household Goods and Travel & Services are the most consistently popular categories for online shopping across APAC.
• Consumer Electronics and Beauty Products are also highly sought after.
• Preferences for international vs. local brands vary by category:
  • International preference is strongest in:
    • Beauty Products
    • Luxury Goods
    • Watches & Accessories
    • Consumer Electronics
    • Wine, Beer & Spirits
  • Local preference is strongest in:
    • Groceries & Household Goods
    • Travel & Services
    • Home Improvement
    • Health Products

3. How are Asia-Pacific consumers engaging with brands?

• The report includes detailed breakdowns of consumer behavior by age group and country, emphasizing the importance of understanding regional and demographic differences.
• Mobile usage is a key driver of online shopping, especially among younger consumers.
• Payment security and return policies are critical concerns that affect consumer confidence in online shopping.

Market-Specific Highlights

Australia

• Total retail sales projected to exceed $309 billion in 2019, with a 2.1% YoY increase.
• 64% of retail spend is in-store, with 50% of online spend via desktop, 37% via mobile, and 5% via tablet.
• High shipping costs are the main barrier to online shopping (52%), followed by return concerns (27%), payment security (22%), and website legitimacy (22%).
• Domestic preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (78%), Home Improvement (64%), and Wine, Beer & Spirits (63%).

China

• Leads APAC in e-commerce with $1.935 trillion in online sales.
• Mobile accounts for 52% of online spend, while desktop/laptop is 34%.
• Groceries & Household Goods (17%), Consumer Electronics (12%), and Beauty (10%) are the top categories.
• Return concerns (49%) and lack of payment security (36%) are the strongest barriers to online shopping.
• Local preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (70%), Travel (55%), and Home Improvement (55%), while international preference is strongest in Beauty Products (62%), Luxury Goods (56%), Wine, Beer & Spirits (48%), Watches & Accessories (45%), and Health Products (42%).

Hong Kong

• Retail sales projected to exceed $60 billion in 2019 with 0.8% YoY growth.
• 57% of retail spend is in-store, with 49% of online spend via mobile.
• High shipping costs (52%) and return concerns (47%) are the main barriers.
• International preference is highest across most categories, with Groceries & Household Goods being the only exception (45% local preference).

Singapore

• Retail sales projected to exceed $50 billion in 2019, with 2% annual growth through 2021.
• Travel & Services is the most popular online category, followed by Groceries & Household Goods.
• Mobile accounts for 42% of online spend, while desktop/laptop is 38%.
• Return concerns (43%) and payment security (21%) are significant barriers.
• Local preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (62%), while international preference is shown in Beauty Products (51%), Watches & Accessories (49%), Luxury Goods (48%), and Consumer Electronics (46%).

South Korea

• Retail sales projected to exceed $395 billion in 2019, with 2.5% YoY growth.
• 47% of retail spend is in-store, the lowest in the region.
• Mobile is the preferred device for online shopping (49%), followed by desktop/laptop (44%).
• Groceries & Household Goods (22%), Beauty Products (10%), Women's Fashion (9%), and Travel (9%) are the top categories.
• Return concerns (39%) and shipping costs (29%) are the main barriers.
• Local preference is dominant in most categories, with Luxury Goods being the only exception where international preference (33%) exceeds local (32%).

Malaysia

• Retail sales projected to exceed $176 billion in 2019, with 9% YoY growth.
• 24% of retail spend is via mobile, representing 50% of online spend.
• Groceries & Household Goods (10%), Beauty Products (10%), Women's Fashion (9%), and Consumer Electronics (9%) are the top categories.
• High shipping costs (57%) is the main barrier to online shopping.
• Local preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (80%), Home Improvement (55%), Health Products (50%), and Travel (49%).

New Zealand

• Retail sales projected to exceed $98 billion in 2019, with 3% YoY growth.
• 67% of retail spend is in-store, the highest in the region.
• Mobile accounts for 13% of total retail spend and 38% of online spend.
• High delivery costs (60%) is the main barrier to online shopping.
• Local preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (62%), while international preference is shown in Beauty Products (51%), Watches & Accessories (49%), and Luxury Goods (48%).

Japan

• Retail sales projected to reach $1.3 trillion in 2019, with 0.8% YoY growth.
• 62% of retail spend is in-store, with desktop/laptop being the preferred device for online shopping (54% of online spend).
• High delivery costs (62%), return uncertainty (20%), and lack of payment security (19%) are the main barriers.
• Local preference is strongest in Groceries & Household Goods (70%), Travel (55%), and Home Improvement (55%), while international preference is shown in Beauty Products (62%), Luxury Goods (56%), Wine, Beer & Spirits (48%), Watches & Accessories (45%), and Health Products (42%).

India

• Retail sales projected to exceed $1 trillion in 2019, with 12% YoY growth.
• Mobile is the dominant device for online shopping, driving 29% of all retail sales and 47% of online sales.
• Groceries & Household Goods (32%), Consumer Electronics (17%), and Beauty Products (13%) are the top categories.
• High shipping costs (39%) and return concerns (37%) are the main barriers.
• Limited payment options (24%) and payment security (23%) are also discouraging factors.

Conclusion

The APAC e-commerce market is growing rapidly, with 64% of global online retail spend expected in 2019. Mobile commerce is a significant driver, especially in countries like China and India, while in-store shopping remains dominant in markets such as Australia and New Zealand. Understanding consumer preferences and barriers is crucial for brands seeking to expand into the region. Key barriers include high shipping costs, return policies, and payment security. Product categories like Groceries & Household Goods, Travel, and Beauty Products are consistently popular, with preferences for international or local brands varying by category and demographic.