4 out of 10 SEA shoppers not missing in-store shopping

This will drive the push towards more personal shopping experiences in Southeast Asia.

In a survey titled VMware Digital Frontiers 3.0 Study, it was revealed that four out of 10 SEA shoppers do not miss shopping in-store.

The study points to the increased trust of personal data to retailers, which would be used to create a personalized shopping experience. The application of technology, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, is seen by the study as the next steps for retail in Southeast Asia.

60% of respondents also stated that they would switch to another competitor if the digital experience was lacking. This ranks higher than respondents in other regions with the US, Germany, France, and the UK charting in at 50%, 40%, 36%, and 51%, respectively.

Key figures from the study include the following:

• 54% would prefer shopping with a retailer that knows their personal preferences.
• 63% are agreeable with the use of virtual technology for their shopping experience.
• 70% believe in the benefits of artificial intelligence for society in the next five years. 
• 64% state that they would leave a website if their issue could not be solved there.
• 41% would visit a rival brand’s app or website if next-day delivery was not offered.

Sanjay K. Deshmukh, vice president and managing director, Southeast Asia and Korea, VMware, took these conclusions as a reaction towards the current state of the pandemic. 

“The pandemic has led to a digital sprint for the retail sector as it has permanently changed the way consumers shop. In Southeast Asia, businesses are now facing their ‘sink or swim’ moment of leveraging cutting-edge innovations such as cloud and modern apps to redefine how they connect with customers digitally or risk losing them to a competitor.”