Chart of the Day: Take a look at Singapore’s booming e-commerce sector

It’s the top among ASEAN countries.

Consumers in Singapore rank among the world’s most active online shoppers, snapping up products and services from airlines, travel agencies and tour operators, according to an e-commerce report released by global information and insights company, Nielsen.

The survey findings revealed that Singaporeans have the highest online purchasing intention globally for airline tickets and hotel and tour reservations; around seven in 10 Singaporeans plan to go online to purchase flights (70%) and make hotel and tour reservations (69%) within the next six months.

Singaporeans also rank second highest globally for intention to purchase event tickets (62%) such as movies, live performances, exhibitions and sports games via online channels.

According to Nielsen, in Singapore, the main factors that motivate consumers to go online to shop are convenience, reading online reviews and looking at products online before purchasing them in a store. 

“The convenience that online shopping brings to time-poor shoppers combined with the availability of product information, reviews and price comparisons are key drivers of online shopping, but importantly, online retail sites are also bringing an element of fun to the shopping experience,” observes Cheng.

“However, the degree to which consumers are browsing online before purchasing offline signals a need for retailers to ensure they do not neglect digital as part of their overall engagement strategy.”