Unlock Holiday Growth in Southeast Asia this Shopping Season

New Study from Meltwater Sheds Light on Consumer Sentiment, Behaviour and Attitudes to Help Marketers Supercharge Sales Through Social Media

Black Friday and Singles’ Day may be the new kids on the block, but for Southeast Asia, Christmas is where it’s at, representing the majority of online engagement about holiday shopping.

A new report from Meltwater titled ‘Ecommerce in SEA: Supercharging Holiday Sales Through Social Media’ analysed consumer sentiment during the year-end shopping period last year to help ecommerce companies better reach their audiences.

The report found that Christmas shopping pulled in 56.6% of chatter, while Black Friday represented 22.5% of buzz. Fast-growing Singles’ Day – a shopping holiday started by internet company Alibaba in 2009 – is credited with kicking off the nearly two-month shopping period, and accounted for 20.9% of social media conversations.

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Within the region, Indonesia drove the highest volume of conversations (57%), which isn’t surprising considering the country’s increased internet penetration and smartphone usage in recent years. Philippines and Malaysia represented 30% and 12% respectively, while Singapore brought in 1% of the buzz.

While the top brands varied from country to country, it’s clear that the marketplace model emerged the real winner. In Singapore, Amazon dominated social media with 51% of online conversations; Shopee led the buzz in Indonesia; Qoo10 was the most talked about in the Philippines; and Lazada emerged triumphant in Malaysia.

Mimrah Mahmood, Regional Director, Media Solutions, Meltwater Asia Pacific said: “The common thread between the winning brands – whether that is Lazada, Amazon or Shopee – lies in their early planning and ability to start campaigns earlier. Whether that is locking down influencers early or working with merchants for promotional activity, it’s clear that having a first mover advantage in such a competitive environment is critical.”

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Additionally, the report identified key tips to help brands win the shopping season blitz:

1. Leverage Data – Leverage cross-device data to stay on top of shoppers’ needs and foster even deeper connections.
2. Start Early – Get the ball rolling with concentrated marketing efforts as early as possible.
3. Personalise It – Demonstrate a deeper understanding of individual shopping patterns by providing consumers with customised and curated offers.
4. Reward The Loyal – Using purchase history, online and social behaviour, brands can engage and reward customers.

“Data from social listening can help brands test the effectiveness of campaigns and derive actionable insights. By understanding the volume and sentiment of what’s being said about them during a specific period or in relation to a specific topic, brands can identify whether or not it is worth investing more resources towards that end,”Mimrah Mahmood added.

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