MANILA – Google and IPSOS have released new research that give a fascinating snapshot of just how large a role mobile plays in Filipino consumers’ lives in 2016.
With over six out of ten Pinoys (61%) owning smartphones, mobile is now an established part of everyday life in the Philippines. The research sheds light on how mobile has affected Filipino consumers’ “micro-moments” — those intent-rich moments when people turn to their smartphones to learn, discover, or buy something.
A new trend that emerges is a new kind of consumer that brands need to meet online, the mobile-powered “supershopper.” Mobile gives shoppers the ability to instantly discover, research, and purchase, making them more informed and more efficient than ever before — they’ve transformed into supershoppers seemingly overnight. But what defines supershoppers? And what does this mean for retailers trying to win them over this Christmas season?
Here are four attributes of supershoppers:
1. Supershoppers are super fast: Supershoppers decide what they want to buy quickly. 88% of Filipino shoppers using smartphones say that online research has contributed to making purchase decisions more quickly now than they did a few years ago.
2. They Keep Their Options Open: When supershoppers start their research they are not absolutely sure which brand they are going to buy — 82% of smartphone shoppers agree with this statement in the Philippines. Mobile makes it easy to explore all of your options no matter when or where you’re shopping. In fact, after researching online, 72% of mobile shoppers in the Philippines (compared to just 33% in the US) purchased a brand they would otherwise not have considered discovered during smartphone research.
3. Mobile is Their Muse: shoppers used to thumb through catalogues or stare longingly at the Christmas window displays, but mobile is now the supershopper’s go-to source for inspiration. 51% of smartphone shoppers in the Philippines turn to mobile for ideas about what to buy before heading to the store.
4. Mobile is Their Door to the Store: Although more and more people are willing to buy on mobile, we know that mobile is still used predominantly as a door to the store. Mobile allows consumers to take valuable actions like looking up directions and placing phone calls to a business they’d like to patronize. This is especially true in the Philippines, where 78% of smartphone users have used a store locator. And mobile doesn’t just bring customers to the store; it also guides their experience right up through the checkout queue: a whopping 80% of them continue to consult their phones while in stores.
Gabby Roxas, Head of Marketing, Google Philippines, commented “We all have that friend – the one who somehow knows the latest brands, the season’s must-have products, and where to find the best deals at the snap of a finger. In years past, this friend was an enigma, making us wonder how does he or she do it? Today, through the power of smartphones, we can all be that friend. Pinoys are moving to mobile fast and we’ll see the shift in how consumers engage with brands this Christmas season. Brands need to make sure they are present on mobile and now is the perfect time to get Christmas campaigns in shape for the shopping peak.”
This is just a sample of the findings of the research, for even more insights, please check out Think with Google.
