Singapore male youth burn more money shopping online than women

About 5 in 10 say they spend more than $100/month.

Singapore male youth spend more than women on online purchases, according to Singapore Polytechnic’s survey of 816 youth aged 15 to 35. About 5 in 10 (50.6%) males say they spend more than $100 per month on online purchases, compared to about 4 in 10 (41.3%) women.

On the other hand, the survey revealed that women shop online more often. About 2 in 10 (20.4%) female respondents browsed for products and services online daily, compared to 14.5% of male respondents.

More males (29%) also purchase from stores that stock limited edition items, compared to 32.5% of women. Meanwhile, female respondents (47.6%) purchase from online stores they liked or are subscribed to on social media, compared to 32.5% of male respondents.

For male youth, the most popular purchase categories include apparel, technology, and movies. Meanwhile, young women’s top purchase categories include apparel, beauty, and travel.

The survey also showed that Singapore youth prefer to keep their online shopping habits private. Almost 6 in 10 (59.5%) indicated that they shop online to purchase items without their friends or family knowing, while 57.9% do so to keep their identity private. Also, more male respondents (61.8%) agreed that they shop online as it gives them privacy, compared to women (54.1%).

It was also revealed that young shoppers were more receptive to special online deals, peer influence and social media. Celebrity endorsements appeared to be the least effective sales strategy, as only 11.4% of respondents purchased from stores endorsed by their favorite celebrity.