Mobile devices drive Pinoy shoppers

FILIPINO shoppers are glued to their devices for good deals, an industry survey has found.

Some 90.8 per cent of consumers in the Philippines look up products on their phones while in store, according to a recent global consumer report. This figure, along with the 88.8 per cent in neighbouring Indonesia, beats the worldwide average of 86.3 per cent.

Filipino buyers also love testimonials on the Net, with 84.4 per cent reporting that social media and online ads affect their spending decisions. The proportion was even higher in Indonesia, where 85.6 per cent were influenced by online ads, against 79.7 per cent globally.

Still, the Philippines lagged peers in the popularity of click-and-collect shopping, which 76 per cent of Filipinos and 83.6 per cent of Indonesians have tried. Meanwhile, 81.4 per cent of global consumers have ordered items online to pick up in stores, up by 30 per cent on the year before.

Overall, 83 per cent of global consumers pegged a quick, easy check-out as their top priority when shopping - compared with 80.8 per cent of Filipinos and 70.8 per cent of Indonesians, according to omni-channel solutions provider iVend Retail.

Customer relationship management rewards or loyalty points clocked a distant second, cited by 58.7 per cent of survey respondents globally.

Still, Indonesian cosmetics distributor Mitra Buana Elok, which sells products under South Korea's Beyond Beauty brand in Jakarta, tapped digital solutions for discounts and promotions.

"The retailer's management has appreciated the way the system has been integrated into their system, greatly increasing efficiency to sales functions, loyalty schemes and customer connection," said iVend Retail in a case study pamphlet.

Some 70.2 per cent of respondents also said that their shopping habits could be influenced by promotional offers pushed to their smart devices while they were in or near store outlets.

Reviewing its survey of shopping habits, iVend Retail stressed a "highly seamless customer experience fuelled by an integrated omni-channel process".

The online survey polled 250 adults from the Philippines in December 2018 and January 2019 about the attitudes and behaviours associated with their retail buying choices.

It also sought the views of consumers from Australia, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States.