IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR :
AGILSON VALLE , SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR , APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER , SINGAPORE , EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL
Preferred In-Store Shopping Features Source : Euromonitor International Digital Consumer Survey , fielded March to April 2020
There are different behavioural trends in Southeast Asia , with some examples of digital consumer behaviour beyond the global trend including the use of VR in Indonesia . As per Euromonitor ’ s digital consumer survey , 18 % of people in Indonesia own a VR headset versus a global average of 11 %. Such digital tools make phygital a reality . As per the same survey , 35 % of people in Indonesia have used AR or VR in the past one year versus a global average of 22 %, either to preview a holiday destination , tour a hotel room , shop for household items or try on makeup . We saw a lot of live streaming here in Southeast Asia , where retailers started live streaming and teaching people how to cook and prepare food , which translates into sales .
How do you integrate that digital experience back into physical experiences as societies leave lockdown ? Customers are expecting the same experience , so if I go to a physical store , is there anything in terms of technology that I can still use ? I think there will be more pressure on companies to be creative in these virtual experiences . That links into another big trend that we see related to convenience . People got used to the whole digital user experience , and it is directly related to working from anywhere and with flexible hours – retailers will have to offer more flexibility to consumers who no longer fit a 9-5 model . For instance , WhatsApp became an essential shopping platform in Indonesia throughout 2020 . With Indonesian consumers not comfortable with e-commerce for big-ticket purchases , WhatsApp has become a solution for people to buy electronics and appliances especially with the introduction of WhatsApp shopping cart and catalogue feature upgrades available to business accounts .
Consumers are spending again yet being more cautious with their discretionary money in case another crisis is around the corner and they need to retain an emergency fund . As per Euromonitor ’ s Lifestyle Survey there is a significant uptick in the % of consumers visiting discount stores in Malaysia and Thailand in 2020 ; the two economies grappling most with the unfortunate economic realities of COVID-19 .
I think there will be more pressure on companies to be creative in these virtual experiences . That links into another big trend that we see related to convenience .