Findings from Criteo’s latest survey of 1000 consumers in Singapore reveal new trends in shopping habits and advertising preferences.
In a survey of 1000 respondents in Singapore– comprising Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silent generations, Criteo found that shoppers are increasingly fusing their online and in-store habits to make purchases. Most popular among Singaporeans in 2021 were purchasing on an app (86%) and browsing products online then purchasing them in a retail store (85%).
Criteo is the global technology company providing the world’s leading Commerce Media Platform.
Shopper Story 2022: Consumer Trends & the Future of Commerce by the company unveiled new insights around shopper trends and preferences in Singapore on March 3.
The report also highlighted that physical store experiences continue to matter to shoppers to help them discover new styles, and to try products. This was especially the case for the Boomer and Silent generation where 62% of respondents indicated that they do not purchase new items unless they can see and touch them in a store.
“In a very technologically advanced market like Singapore, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has increased the number of touchpoints that brands have with consumers, resulting in more ways for shoppers to discover and buy products online. Our latest Shopper Survey findings reveal that while online channels remain in demand, physical stores continue to play an important role in the shopping journey as a source of immediate fulfilment with in-store offers, proximity and urgency continuing to drive shopper visits,” explained Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director, Southeast Asia & India.
Shoppers continue to embrace ecommerce and digital connection
Here are some of the major findings from the report:
- 63% of shoppers in Singapore say they would search directly on a retailer or brand’s website if they know the item they are looking to purchase, and 57% said that this would be their first place to search if they know the type of item they want to purchase.
- Only 17% would use search engines if they knew the item they wanted to purchase, and 23% would use search engines if they knew the type of item they wanted to purchase, respectively.
A big reason for this is that shoppers are getting more value from retailer and brand websites, with 1 in 3 shoppers in Singapore saying that they have seen improvements in searching for products and finding what they are looking for on retailer and brand websites, the report said.
According to the report, shoppers are now going a step further to leave a positive review about a good customer experience (77%) and recommend a brand to someone based on a good experience (74%). The converse has also been reported, with 62% of shoppers in Singapore saying they have told someone about a negative experience they had, and 52% leaving a negative review after a negative customer experience, in the last six months.
The role of advertisements in the shopper journey
Across age groups, most shoppers confirmed that they click on ads while online, and buy products recommended to them in ads. This is especially so for Gen Z and Millennial shoppers, where 77% and 79% respectively affirmed these behaviours.
“With recent trends indicating that shoppers appreciate the value of addressability in advertising – as brands recommend better and more relevant products that they would like to purchase – and now see it as a good way to discover new brands and products to purchase, retailers should explore how they can reach their target audience through a robust first-party data plan and commerce media strategy, supported by the right advertising solutions that can help them achieve their campaign outcomes and business goals,” shared Singh.
