Array
(
[derick] => Array
(
[[]] =>
[Has Covid-19 changed Asia’s e-commerce landscape forever?] => 新冠疫情是否彻底改变了亚洲电子商务的格局
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset.] => 企业必须迅速适应消费者习惯和心态的转变。
[Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”] => 与此同时,日本集英社的漫画-艺术遗产项目于2021年作为电子商务平台推出,与DHL开展合作,向全球客户提供可收藏的日本漫画艺术品。
“随着世界的变化,消费者的期望也在发生变化,”DHL快递亚太区首席执行官Ken Lee表示,“客户正在面临不同的挑战,需要新的解决方案。关键是要认真倾听他们的反馈,并迅速做出调整,以满足他们不断变化的需求。”
[Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] => 物流公司正在扩大网络,以提供可靠的、无所不在的、快速的服务,这不仅满足了数量迅速增长的本地在线零售商的需求,也满足了东南亚各个市场的生产商的需求。越南等国的制造商正成为中国工厂的热门替代品,中国的管控和其他限制措施已促使一些全球公司将供应链迁往亚洲。
新增长领域
如今,零售商正在评估电子商务的发展趋势。疫情引发的在线销售激增正在消退,尤其是在食品杂货等品类以及电子商务在疫情前已经发展成熟的国家。随着管控措施的放宽,这些变化趋势以及实体店“报复性购物”的狂热,对在线销售造成了冲击。
与此同时,通货膨胀的飙升总体上抑制了可自由支配的消费者支出,使得消费者在网上购物时更加挑剔和苛刻。所有这些趋势都表明,需要采取疫情后的全渠道战略。这可能包括缩小实体零售规模以节省租金成本,但同时仍能满足季节性游客和周末客流高峰的需求,以及为电子产品和家居用品等线上销售状况仍然良好的品类提供更强大的电子商务渠道。
零售商的混合方式还可能包括将实体店作为可行的配送中心;37%的受访消费者表示,在未来他们更愿意在网上购买,然后到店提货。
这样的趋势反过来又会进一步提高物流企业的门槛。例如,他们需要提高自己的水平,提供准时的、最后一英里的送货服务,这是客户便利性和满意度的关键因素。像DHL这样的公司投资于自动化、机器人技术支持的微型配送中心,以更有效地支持对电子商务网络的强劲长期需求,包括最后一英里的配送。
“正如我们在过去几年所看到的,物流是一个快速发展的行业,”Lee强调,自疫情以来,该领域发生了很大变化。“保持高效的供应链对每个行业实现最佳运作至关重要。这就是我们不断创新和开发技术解决方案的原因,以帮助我们提供及时的服务,特别是对时间敏感的货物。”
在当今动荡的宏观经济环境下,电子商务需求不均衡,成本不断上升,企业可能会更加谨慎。但非常清楚的是,在后疫情时代,消费者的在线消费欲望和预期将会增加。
零售商需要提供个性化的混合购物体验,同时构建实体和电子商务渠道的生态系统,为消费者提升价值。目前,消费者优先考虑的是最佳商品的高效配送,而不是品牌忠诚度。
随着世界迈入疫情后时代及更远的未来,电子商务规范正在再次重置。要了解亚洲复杂的电子商务格局的未来,有必要回顾该地区消费者和零售趋势在过去和现在的变化,以了解它们将如何塑造未来的新规范。
[The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below -- predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.] => 新冠疫情引发了消费者购物需求和预期的巨大转变,许多人转向数字商务,以应对管控和其他限制。虽然亚洲消费者在网上的支出可能没有在疫情管控期间那么多,但他们在疫情期间的许多购物习惯和态度没有改变。这迫使零售商和物流公司做出调整,以满足这些需求。
许多企业都在问一个问题:新冠疫情是否彻底改变了消费者习惯,并为今天价值3.3万亿美元的全球电子商务行业提供了持久的推动力?哪些国家的网上消费习惯不仅会持续下去,而且在未来几年还会加速发展?
增长率正常化
在全球范围内,有迹象表明,随着新冠疫情的消退,疫情引发的数字商务激增正在放缓。摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley)的数据显示,在线销售额占总销售额的比例从2019年的15%飙升至2022年的22%。但这一比例还需要4年时间到2026年才能达到27%,这表明增长速度有所放缓。
但是,虽然总体情况可能表明需求放缓,但仔细观察趋势可以发现,一些市场——尤其是亚太地区的新兴经济体——可能在未来几年会成为电子商务强劲增长的亮点,而其他市场可能难以维持过去几年的势头。
万事达卡(Mastercard)、国际货币基金组织(IMF)和哈佛商学院(Harvard Business School)联合进行的一项研究显示,2018年1月至2021年9月期间,在接受调查的47个国家中,约有一半国家的在线消费额占总支出的比例仍高于疫情前的趋势。这些经济体包括印度和巴西等新兴经济体。对于包括美国和新加坡等发达经济体在内的其余国家,这一比例已经回落到疫情前预测的趋势水平,甚至更低。
也就是说,全球消费者肯定不会放弃电子商务。Wunderman Thompson公司2022年的一项调查发现,一旦最终战胜疫情,消费者预计将有54%的总支出在网上进行。这比去年的调查有所增加,当时预计只有51%。
调查发现,目前最大的在线消费群体来自中国和印度,消费者的数字消费比例分别为66%和64%。
值得注意的是,疫情结束后,泰国和印度尼西亚等亚洲发展中市场,在消费者在线消费倾向方面,很可能会赶上甚至超过这两个巨头。泰国和印度尼西亚消费者预计,疫情结束后,他们的在线支出将分别占总支出的61%和63%。相比之下,中国和印度的这一比例分别为59%和61%。
不再重返实体店
要理解这些市场的消费者为何会有这种行为,回顾一下疫情是如何塑造他们的预期和工作生活安排,很有启发意义。
较大比例的亚洲消费者表示,即使在疫情结束后,他们也想继续居家办公。电子商务与远程办公的普及同步发展,特别是在泰国这样的新兴市场。在这里,糟糕的交通状况会给出行带来不便,而互联网高普及率则支持了电子商务的使用。
[caption id="attachment_33226" align="alignright" width="1200"] 泰国糟糕的交通条件使远程办公和网上购物在疫情期间流行起来,即使在疫情后,许多人仍然喜欢远程办公和网上购物。[/caption]
疫情期间,亚洲消费者对电子商务产品的期望有所提高,包括交货速度、种类、价格以及退货选择。
例如,Wunderman Thompson的调查发现,约95%的泰国和印度尼西亚消费者在被激发购物欲望后,希望尽快购买他们想要的商品,这一比例在所有调查国家中排名第一。与印度和中国一样,这些国家在积极选择环保品牌和在线游戏内购买方面也处于领先地位。
作为回应,亚洲各地的企业纷纷转向电子商务。例如,总部位于新加坡的Mighty Jaxx,设计和制造实体数位化藏品和生活方式产品,利用DHL的全球网络和简化最后一英里配送,为全球粉丝提供优质的客户体验。
[wysiwyg] => wysiwyg
[outbound_box] => outbound_box
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset. The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below — predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
Thailand’s poor traffic conditions made remote working and online shopping popular during the pandemic, and even post-pandemic, many people still prefer working and shopping remotely.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.
RELATED ARTICLESBuilding Mighty Jaxx from a hobby into a multimillion-dollar businessNot child's play: Singaporean grows top-of-mind global figurine brand from the ground up.Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”
RELATED ARTICLESDigitalization and e-commerce turning the page for manga and Japanese artistsJapan’s manga is massively popular overseas, but getting the artwork safely to fans required some original thinking.Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] =>
Array
(
[derick] => Array
(
[[]] =>
[Has Covid-19 changed Asia’s e-commerce landscape forever?] => 新冠疫情是否彻底改变了亚洲电子商务的格局
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset.] => 企业必须迅速适应消费者习惯和心态的转变。
[Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”] => 与此同时,日本集英社的漫画-艺术遗产项目于2021年作为电子商务平台推出,与DHL开展合作,向全球客户提供可收藏的日本漫画艺术品。
“随着世界的变化,消费者的期望也在发生变化,”DHL快递亚太区首席执行官Ken Lee表示,“客户正在面临不同的挑战,需要新的解决方案。关键是要认真倾听他们的反馈,并迅速做出调整,以满足他们不断变化的需求。”
[Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] => 物流公司正在扩大网络,以提供可靠的、无所不在的、快速的服务,这不仅满足了数量迅速增长的本地在线零售商的需求,也满足了东南亚各个市场的生产商的需求。越南等国的制造商正成为中国工厂的热门替代品,中国的管控和其他限制措施已促使一些全球公司将供应链迁往亚洲。
新增长领域
如今,零售商正在评估电子商务的发展趋势。疫情引发的在线销售激增正在消退,尤其是在食品杂货等品类以及电子商务在疫情前已经发展成熟的国家。随着管控措施的放宽,这些变化趋势以及实体店“报复性购物”的狂热,对在线销售造成了冲击。
与此同时,通货膨胀的飙升总体上抑制了可自由支配的消费者支出,使得消费者在网上购物时更加挑剔和苛刻。所有这些趋势都表明,需要采取疫情后的全渠道战略。这可能包括缩小实体零售规模以节省租金成本,但同时仍能满足季节性游客和周末客流高峰的需求,以及为电子产品和家居用品等线上销售状况仍然良好的品类提供更强大的电子商务渠道。
零售商的混合方式还可能包括将实体店作为可行的配送中心;37%的受访消费者表示,在未来他们更愿意在网上购买,然后到店提货。
这样的趋势反过来又会进一步提高物流企业的门槛。例如,他们需要提高自己的水平,提供准时的、最后一英里的送货服务,这是客户便利性和满意度的关键因素。像DHL这样的公司投资于自动化、机器人技术支持的微型配送中心,以更有效地支持对电子商务网络的强劲长期需求,包括最后一英里的配送。
“正如我们在过去几年所看到的,物流是一个快速发展的行业,”Lee强调,自疫情以来,该领域发生了很大变化。“保持高效的供应链对每个行业实现最佳运作至关重要。这就是我们不断创新和开发技术解决方案的原因,以帮助我们提供及时的服务,特别是对时间敏感的货物。”
在当今动荡的宏观经济环境下,电子商务需求不均衡,成本不断上升,企业可能会更加谨慎。但非常清楚的是,在后疫情时代,消费者的在线消费欲望和预期将会增加。
零售商需要提供个性化的混合购物体验,同时构建实体和电子商务渠道的生态系统,为消费者提升价值。目前,消费者优先考虑的是最佳商品的高效配送,而不是品牌忠诚度。
随着世界迈入疫情后时代及更远的未来,电子商务规范正在再次重置。要了解亚洲复杂的电子商务格局的未来,有必要回顾该地区消费者和零售趋势在过去和现在的变化,以了解它们将如何塑造未来的新规范。
[The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below -- predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.] => 新冠疫情引发了消费者购物需求和预期的巨大转变,许多人转向数字商务,以应对管控和其他限制。虽然亚洲消费者在网上的支出可能没有在疫情管控期间那么多,但他们在疫情期间的许多购物习惯和态度没有改变。这迫使零售商和物流公司做出调整,以满足这些需求。
许多企业都在问一个问题:新冠疫情是否彻底改变了消费者习惯,并为今天价值3.3万亿美元的全球电子商务行业提供了持久的推动力?哪些国家的网上消费习惯不仅会持续下去,而且在未来几年还会加速发展?
增长率正常化
在全球范围内,有迹象表明,随着新冠疫情的消退,疫情引发的数字商务激增正在放缓。摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley)的数据显示,在线销售额占总销售额的比例从2019年的15%飙升至2022年的22%。但这一比例还需要4年时间到2026年才能达到27%,这表明增长速度有所放缓。
但是,虽然总体情况可能表明需求放缓,但仔细观察趋势可以发现,一些市场——尤其是亚太地区的新兴经济体——可能在未来几年会成为电子商务强劲增长的亮点,而其他市场可能难以维持过去几年的势头。
万事达卡(Mastercard)、国际货币基金组织(IMF)和哈佛商学院(Harvard Business School)联合进行的一项研究显示,2018年1月至2021年9月期间,在接受调查的47个国家中,约有一半国家的在线消费额占总支出的比例仍高于疫情前的趋势。这些经济体包括印度和巴西等新兴经济体。对于包括美国和新加坡等发达经济体在内的其余国家,这一比例已经回落到疫情前预测的趋势水平,甚至更低。
也就是说,全球消费者肯定不会放弃电子商务。Wunderman Thompson公司2022年的一项调查发现,一旦最终战胜疫情,消费者预计将有54%的总支出在网上进行。这比去年的调查有所增加,当时预计只有51%。
调查发现,目前最大的在线消费群体来自中国和印度,消费者的数字消费比例分别为66%和64%。
值得注意的是,疫情结束后,泰国和印度尼西亚等亚洲发展中市场,在消费者在线消费倾向方面,很可能会赶上甚至超过这两个巨头。泰国和印度尼西亚消费者预计,疫情结束后,他们的在线支出将分别占总支出的61%和63%。相比之下,中国和印度的这一比例分别为59%和61%。
不再重返实体店
要理解这些市场的消费者为何会有这种行为,回顾一下疫情是如何塑造他们的预期和工作生活安排,很有启发意义。
较大比例的亚洲消费者表示,即使在疫情结束后,他们也想继续居家办公。电子商务与远程办公的普及同步发展,特别是在泰国这样的新兴市场。在这里,糟糕的交通状况会给出行带来不便,而互联网高普及率则支持了电子商务的使用。
[caption id="attachment_33226" align="alignright" width="1200"] 泰国糟糕的交通条件使远程办公和网上购物在疫情期间流行起来,即使在疫情后,许多人仍然喜欢远程办公和网上购物。[/caption]
疫情期间,亚洲消费者对电子商务产品的期望有所提高,包括交货速度、种类、价格以及退货选择。
例如,Wunderman Thompson的调查发现,约95%的泰国和印度尼西亚消费者在被激发购物欲望后,希望尽快购买他们想要的商品,这一比例在所有调查国家中排名第一。与印度和中国一样,这些国家在积极选择环保品牌和在线游戏内购买方面也处于领先地位。
作为回应,亚洲各地的企业纷纷转向电子商务。例如,总部位于新加坡的Mighty Jaxx,设计和制造实体数位化藏品和生活方式产品,利用DHL的全球网络和简化最后一英里配送,为全球粉丝提供优质的客户体验。
[wysiwyg] => wysiwyg
[outbound_box] => outbound_box
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset. The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below — predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
Thailand’s poor traffic conditions made remote working and online shopping popular during the pandemic, and even post-pandemic, many people still prefer working and shopping remotely.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.
RELATED ARTICLESBuilding Mighty Jaxx from a hobby into a multimillion-dollar businessNot child's play: Singaporean grows top-of-mind global figurine brand from the ground up.Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”
RELATED ARTICLESDigitalization and e-commerce turning the page for manga and Japanese artistsJapan’s manga is massively popular overseas, but getting the artwork safely to fans required some original thinking.Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] =>
Array
(
[derick] => Array
(
[[]] =>
[Has Covid-19 changed Asia’s e-commerce landscape forever?] => 新冠疫情是否彻底改变了亚洲电子商务的格局
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset.] => 企业必须迅速适应消费者习惯和心态的转变。
[Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”] => 与此同时,日本集英社的漫画-艺术遗产项目于2021年作为电子商务平台推出,与DHL开展合作,向全球客户提供可收藏的日本漫画艺术品。
“随着世界的变化,消费者的期望也在发生变化,”DHL快递亚太区首席执行官Ken Lee表示,“客户正在面临不同的挑战,需要新的解决方案。关键是要认真倾听他们的反馈,并迅速做出调整,以满足他们不断变化的需求。”
[Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] => 物流公司正在扩大网络,以提供可靠的、无所不在的、快速的服务,这不仅满足了数量迅速增长的本地在线零售商的需求,也满足了东南亚各个市场的生产商的需求。越南等国的制造商正成为中国工厂的热门替代品,中国的管控和其他限制措施已促使一些全球公司将供应链迁往亚洲。
新增长领域
如今,零售商正在评估电子商务的发展趋势。疫情引发的在线销售激增正在消退,尤其是在食品杂货等品类以及电子商务在疫情前已经发展成熟的国家。随着管控措施的放宽,这些变化趋势以及实体店“报复性购物”的狂热,对在线销售造成了冲击。
与此同时,通货膨胀的飙升总体上抑制了可自由支配的消费者支出,使得消费者在网上购物时更加挑剔和苛刻。所有这些趋势都表明,需要采取疫情后的全渠道战略。这可能包括缩小实体零售规模以节省租金成本,但同时仍能满足季节性游客和周末客流高峰的需求,以及为电子产品和家居用品等线上销售状况仍然良好的品类提供更强大的电子商务渠道。
零售商的混合方式还可能包括将实体店作为可行的配送中心;37%的受访消费者表示,在未来他们更愿意在网上购买,然后到店提货。
这样的趋势反过来又会进一步提高物流企业的门槛。例如,他们需要提高自己的水平,提供准时的、最后一英里的送货服务,这是客户便利性和满意度的关键因素。像DHL这样的公司投资于自动化、机器人技术支持的微型配送中心,以更有效地支持对电子商务网络的强劲长期需求,包括最后一英里的配送。
“正如我们在过去几年所看到的,物流是一个快速发展的行业,”Lee强调,自疫情以来,该领域发生了很大变化。“保持高效的供应链对每个行业实现最佳运作至关重要。这就是我们不断创新和开发技术解决方案的原因,以帮助我们提供及时的服务,特别是对时间敏感的货物。”
在当今动荡的宏观经济环境下,电子商务需求不均衡,成本不断上升,企业可能会更加谨慎。但非常清楚的是,在后疫情时代,消费者的在线消费欲望和预期将会增加。
零售商需要提供个性化的混合购物体验,同时构建实体和电子商务渠道的生态系统,为消费者提升价值。目前,消费者优先考虑的是最佳商品的高效配送,而不是品牌忠诚度。
随着世界迈入疫情后时代及更远的未来,电子商务规范正在再次重置。要了解亚洲复杂的电子商务格局的未来,有必要回顾该地区消费者和零售趋势在过去和现在的变化,以了解它们将如何塑造未来的新规范。
[The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below -- predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.] => 新冠疫情引发了消费者购物需求和预期的巨大转变,许多人转向数字商务,以应对管控和其他限制。虽然亚洲消费者在网上的支出可能没有在疫情管控期间那么多,但他们在疫情期间的许多购物习惯和态度没有改变。这迫使零售商和物流公司做出调整,以满足这些需求。
许多企业都在问一个问题:新冠疫情是否彻底改变了消费者习惯,并为今天价值3.3万亿美元的全球电子商务行业提供了持久的推动力?哪些国家的网上消费习惯不仅会持续下去,而且在未来几年还会加速发展?
增长率正常化
在全球范围内,有迹象表明,随着新冠疫情的消退,疫情引发的数字商务激增正在放缓。摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley)的数据显示,在线销售额占总销售额的比例从2019年的15%飙升至2022年的22%。但这一比例还需要4年时间到2026年才能达到27%,这表明增长速度有所放缓。
但是,虽然总体情况可能表明需求放缓,但仔细观察趋势可以发现,一些市场——尤其是亚太地区的新兴经济体——可能在未来几年会成为电子商务强劲增长的亮点,而其他市场可能难以维持过去几年的势头。
万事达卡(Mastercard)、国际货币基金组织(IMF)和哈佛商学院(Harvard Business School)联合进行的一项研究显示,2018年1月至2021年9月期间,在接受调查的47个国家中,约有一半国家的在线消费额占总支出的比例仍高于疫情前的趋势。这些经济体包括印度和巴西等新兴经济体。对于包括美国和新加坡等发达经济体在内的其余国家,这一比例已经回落到疫情前预测的趋势水平,甚至更低。
也就是说,全球消费者肯定不会放弃电子商务。Wunderman Thompson公司2022年的一项调查发现,一旦最终战胜疫情,消费者预计将有54%的总支出在网上进行。这比去年的调查有所增加,当时预计只有51%。
调查发现,目前最大的在线消费群体来自中国和印度,消费者的数字消费比例分别为66%和64%。
值得注意的是,疫情结束后,泰国和印度尼西亚等亚洲发展中市场,在消费者在线消费倾向方面,很可能会赶上甚至超过这两个巨头。泰国和印度尼西亚消费者预计,疫情结束后,他们的在线支出将分别占总支出的61%和63%。相比之下,中国和印度的这一比例分别为59%和61%。
不再重返实体店
要理解这些市场的消费者为何会有这种行为,回顾一下疫情是如何塑造他们的预期和工作生活安排,很有启发意义。
较大比例的亚洲消费者表示,即使在疫情结束后,他们也想继续居家办公。电子商务与远程办公的普及同步发展,特别是在泰国这样的新兴市场。在这里,糟糕的交通状况会给出行带来不便,而互联网高普及率则支持了电子商务的使用。
[caption id="attachment_33226" align="alignright" width="1200"] 泰国糟糕的交通条件使远程办公和网上购物在疫情期间流行起来,即使在疫情后,许多人仍然喜欢远程办公和网上购物。[/caption]
疫情期间,亚洲消费者对电子商务产品的期望有所提高,包括交货速度、种类、价格以及退货选择。
例如,Wunderman Thompson的调查发现,约95%的泰国和印度尼西亚消费者在被激发购物欲望后,希望尽快购买他们想要的商品,这一比例在所有调查国家中排名第一。与印度和中国一样,这些国家在积极选择环保品牌和在线游戏内购买方面也处于领先地位。
作为回应,亚洲各地的企业纷纷转向电子商务。例如,总部位于新加坡的Mighty Jaxx,设计和制造实体数位化藏品和生活方式产品,利用DHL的全球网络和简化最后一英里配送,为全球粉丝提供优质的客户体验。
[wysiwyg] => wysiwyg
[outbound_box] => outbound_box
[Companies had to adapt swiftly to the shift in consumer habits and mindset. The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in consumers’ shopping needs and expectations, as many switched to digital commerce to navigate lockdowns and other restrictions. And while Asian consumers may not be spending as much online as they did during pandemic-induced lockdowns, many of their Covid-19 shopping habits and attitudes are here to stay. This is forcing retailers and logistics players to adapt to meet those demands.
One question that many companies are asking is this: did Covid-19 permanently change consumer habits and provide a lasting boost to today’s USD 3.3 trillion global e-commerce industry? In which countries will online spending habits not only stick, but accelerate in the coming years?
Normalized growth rates
On a global level, there are signs that the pandemic-induced spike in digital commerce is moderating as Covid-19 recedes. Online sales soared from 15 percent of total sales in 2019 to an estimated 22 percent in 2022, according to Morgan Stanley. But it will take another four years for that share to reach 27 percent by 2026, indicating a slower pace of increase.
But while the general picture may point to a moderating of demand, a closer look at the trends shows that some markets – particularly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific – are likely to be bright spots with strong e-commerce growth in coming years, while others may struggle to sustain the past years’ momentum.
The online share of total spending still stood above pre-pandemic trends in about half of 47 countries surveyed between January 2018 and September 2021, according to a joint study by Mastercard, IMF and Harvard Business School. These economies included emerging ones like India and Brazil. For the remaining countries that included advanced economies like the United States and Singapore, that share had settled back in line – or even below — predicted pre-Covid-19 trend levels.
That said, global consumers are certainly not retreating from e-commerce. A 2022 survey by Wunderman Thompson found that consumers expect to conduct 54 percent of their total spending online once Covid-19 is finally defeated. This was an increase from last year’s survey, where consumers had predicted just 51 percent.
The biggest online bases are currently in China and India, with consumers’ proportion of digital spending reaching 66 percent and 64 percent respectively, the survey found.
Notably, Asian developing markets like Thailand and Indonesia are likely to catch up or even overtake these two giants in terms of consumers’ propensity for online spending after Covid-19 ends. Thai and Indonesian consumers predict their online spending will be 61 percent and 63 percent of total spending respectively when Covid-19 is over. This compares with 59 percent for China and 61 percent for India.
No going back to brick-and-mortar
To understand why consumers in these markets will behave this way, it is instructive to look back at how the pandemic shaped their expectations and work-life arrangements.
A relatively large proportion of Asian consumers indicated they wanted to continue working from home even after the pandemic ended. E-commerce has grown in tandem with the popularity of remote work, especially in emerging markets like Thailand. Here, poor traffic conditions can make travel inconvenient, while high internet penetration supports access to e-commerce.
Thailand’s poor traffic conditions made remote working and online shopping popular during the pandemic, and even post-pandemic, many people still prefer working and shopping remotely.
During the pandemic, Asian consumers developed elevated expectations of e-commerce offerings, in terms of speed of fulfillment, variety, price as well as return options.
For instance, the Wunderman Thompson survey found that about 95 percent of Thai and Indonesian consumers wanted to purchase their desired item as quickly as possible after getting inspired to buy, topping the list of countries survey. Along with India and China, these countries also led in terms of actively choosing environmentally-sound brands and spending on online in-game purchases.
In response, businesses across Asia have pivoted en masse to e-commerce. For instance, Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, which designs and manufactures phygital collectibles and lifestyle products, tapped on DHL’s global network and streamlined last-mile delivery to provide a quality customer experience to its fans worldwide.
RELATED ARTICLESBuilding Mighty Jaxx from a hobby into a multimillion-dollar businessNot child's play: Singaporean grows top-of-mind global figurine brand from the ground up.Meanwhile, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage project was launched as an e-commerce platform in 2021, partnering with DHL to deliver collectible Japanese comics artwork to global customers.
“As the world is changing, consumer expectations are shifting,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Customers are experiencing different challenges that require new solutions. The key is to listen carefully to their feedback, and adapt quickly, to meet their changing needs.”
RELATED ARTICLESDigitalization and e-commerce turning the page for manga and Japanese artistsJapan’s manga is massively popular overseas, but getting the artwork safely to fans required some original thinking.Logistics players are expanding networks to provide the reliable, ubiquitous, and fast service required not just by burgeoning numbers of local online retailers, but producers in various Southeast Asian markets as well. Manufacturers in countries like Vietnam are becoming popular alternatives to factories in China, where lockdowns and other restrictions have prompted some global companies to relocate their supply chains to Asia.
New areas of growth
Today, retailers are taking stock of where e-commerce trends are headed. The pandemic-induced spike in online sales – particularly in categories like groceries and for countries where e-commerce was already well-established before the pandemic – is fading. Along with the fad of in-store “revenge shopping”, these shifting trends are putting a dent in online sales when lockdowns eased.
Meanwhile, the spike in inflation has dampened discretionary consumer spending in general, making consumers even pickier and more demanding in their online purchases. All these trends point to the need for a post-pandemic omnichannel strategy. This may include a smaller physical retail presence that saves on rent costs while still providing the capacity to serve seasonal tourist and weekend traffic spikes, as well as stronger e-commerce channels for categories like electronics and household items that continue to sell well online.
Retailers’ hybrid approach may also include physical stores as viable fulfillment centers: 37 percent of consumers surveyed said they are more willing to buy online and pick up in-store in future.
Such trends, in turn, will raise the bar even higher for logistics players. For instance, they will need to up their game to provide on-time, last-mile deliveries, which are a key element of customer convenience and satisfaction. Players like DHL are investing in automated, robotics-enabled micro fulfillment centers to support the robust longer-term demand more efficiently for e-commerce networks, including last-mile deliveries.
“As we have witnessed in the past few years, logistics is a fast-moving industry,” explained Lee, who emphasized that the field has changed a lot since the pandemic. “Maintaining an efficient supply chain is crucial for every industry to function optimally. This is why we have continued innovating and developing technology solutions that will help us provide prompt service, especially with time-sensitive shipments.”
Amid uneven e-commerce demand and rising costs in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, businesses alike may be apt to tread more cautiously. But what is abundantly clear is that consumers’ online spending appetite and expectations will increase in the post-pandemic era.
Retailers will need to provide personalized hybrid shopping experiences, while structuring their ecosystems of physical and e-commerce channels in ways that enhance value for consumers, who now prioritize efficient deliveries of the best items over brand loyalty.
As the world moves into the post-pandemic era and beyond, e-commerce norms are being reset yet again. To discern what the future holds for Asia’s complex e-commerce landscape, it is imperative to review past and current shifts in the region’s consumer and retail trends to understand how they will shape tomorrow’s new norms.] =>