Everywhere you go in Southeast Asia, you see it – noses stuck in smartphones. From urban centers to mist-shrouded jungle villages, people are browsing, liking, sending, sharing … and buying.
But are they buying from you? Probably not.
Newsflash – It’s because your (mobile) website SUCKS.
SEAsia Is a Mobile First Ecosphere
We know, we know. You spent a lot of time and money getting that website up six or seven years ago, and the thought of having to dive back in again makes you cringe.
But here’s the thing:
You can’t afford NOT to do it.
You know all those mobile users?
They spend a lot of time browsing. In fact they spend more time browsing EVERY DAY. In the US overall time spent browsing via mobile overtook desktop in December 2013.
As of Dec 2013 web engagement in the US is Mobile First
It’s safe to assume the situation in SEA is even more weighted in favor of mobile, especially with higher income audiences.
Research shows that when mobile users don’t get a smooth, secure shopping experience on your website, they don’t buy. As mobile users continue to grow a an ever increasing rate you simply can’t afford to let that happen.
The good news is that once it’s done you’ll be tapping into a high potential revenue stream, and the sooner you do it, the longer the period of exclusivity you’ll have to enjoy before the competition catches up.
Ecommerce Is Driving Growth Throughout Southeast Asia
Ecommerce is a powerful engine driving growth in Southeast Asia and ASEAN. One study says the ecommerce market in the Asia-Pacific region is among the fastest growing in the world. It’s expected to expand by 20 percent annually until 2018 – which would exceed North America in terms of online sales of businesses to consumers (B2C).
In many parts of Southeast Asia, a lack of traditional telecom infrastructure means mobile phones are everywhere. Often, they’re the best option for making a phone call.
While these smartphone users have long been seen as fertile ground for retailers, they have not been buying as much through their phones as had been predicted, perhaps because shoppers are frustrated by apps or websites that don’t work well on phones.
Retailers appear to have been hedging investment in apps and mobile-optimized websites, concentrating instead on developing the desktop computer sites where most online transactions still take place.
Lessons from Australian Ecommerce
Australia, the Westernized neighbor of Southeast Asia, is no slouch in this field, either: In fiscal year 2013/14 alone, it had $15.6 billion in online retail spending.
Australia shows just how this market could blow up in SEA given the right investment: Since 2010, there has been a 448 percent increase in mobile ecommerce transactions. In a story called, “People are just going crazy buying stuff on their smartphones,” Gizmodo Australia cites a PayPal study saying people will buy 43 percent more stuff on their phones this year than they did in 2014.
Other stats from Down Under:
Australians will spend about AUD$8.8 billion via their mobile devices this year.
A third of online shoppers bought something from their smartphone within the last 12 months.
Marketing magazine found almost half of the Australian retailers they surveyed said at least 20 percent of their traffic came from mobile.
But half those retailers said less than 5 percent of their online advertising budget was allocated to mobile.
What You Should Be Doing
If it’s not obvious yet you really need to evaluate your priorities and make an investment in your web presence’s mobile compatibility. A mobile responsive website is a must-have for brand and corporate sites. B2C players should consider a dedicated app as well, depending on the type of products and market they’re after.
Wanna Win Southeast Asia?
Get Your Mobile Website Up To Scratch!
Everywhere you go in Southeast Asia, you see it – noses stuck in smartphones. From urban centers to mist-shrouded jungle villages, people are browsing, liking, sending, sharing … and buying.
But are they buying from you? Probably not.
Newsflash – It’s because your (mobile) website SUCKS.
SEAsia Is a Mobile First Ecosphere
We know, we know. You spent a lot of time and money getting that website up six or seven years ago, and the thought of having to dive back in again makes you cringe.
But here’s the thing:
You can’t afford NOT to do it.
You know all those mobile users?
They spend a lot of time browsing. In fact they spend more time browsing EVERY DAY. In the US overall time spent browsing via mobile overtook desktop in December 2013.
