Shoppertainment: A $1 trillion opportunity for Asia-Pacific by 2025

The trend of "shoppertainment", which blends entertainment with shopping, is fast gaining popularity, offering new income opportunities for businesses, small retailers, creators and influencers.

Research conducted jointly by TikTok and BCG indicates that “shoppertainment” will generate business opportunities worth more than US$1 trillion (36.52 trillion baht) across Asia-Pacific by 2025.

For Thailand, there is a projected growth opportunity of up to $12.4 billion over the same period, making it a market with exceptionally strong growth potential.

Cholticha Ngamkamollert, chief of client partnership at TikTok, attributes this growth to the Thai population’s openness to new trends, the readiness of the ecosystem and creator economy, and marketers recognising the opportunities presented by these trends.

With a robust e-commerce sector, a strong creator community and brands investing in entertainment tailored to Thai consumers, Thailand is poised to become a pivotal market for shoppertainment growth.

There’s a strong potential for shoppertainment to dominate a substantial portion of the e-commerce industry, as many consumers are eager to engage with entertaining content and robust ecosystems. Popular product categories influenced by video content include fashion and jewellery, beauty and personal care, food and beverages, electronics, and household items.

According to a Statista survey, Thailand’s e-commerce market is estimated to be worth around $11.63 billion this year. Euromonitor predicts that retail e-commerce sales in Thailand will grow at an average of 15.4% between 2024 and 2027.

Chanida Klyphun, head of public policy for TikTok Thailand, said that over 3 million creators in Thailand are generating income from TikTok and more than 2.4 million sellers receive support from the platform. Every month, more than 700,000 Thai creators use TikTok Live, with over 7,000 celebrities attracting an audience of over 20 million accounts. The top five popular live content categories among Thai users are music, dance, lifestyle, gaming and cooking with peak viewing hours between 8 pm and midnight.

The creative industry in Thailand is estimated to be worth approximately 1.1 trillion baht, accounting for 6.81% of the country’s GDP in 2022. The number of individuals involved in this industry has risen to 963,549, reflecting the growth of the creative industry that contributes to the country’s economic expansion.

Major players in the e-commerce field, such as Shopee and Lazada, focus heavily on the “live selling feature”. Shopee reports that 77% of Gen Z shoppers prefer e-commerce platforms featuring entertainment. They support a lively and engaging shopping experience through live streams and short videos, allowing shoppers to follow and watch their favourite creators.

Lazada, meanwhile, focuses on creating fun and interactive experiences through games, believing that “gamification” will play an increasingly prominent role in the future of e-commerce business.

Both TikTok and Accenture have revealed that changing consumer behaviour in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region is significantly influenced by content. Their research found that 88% of Thai consumers consider non-sales promotional content before making purchase decisions.

In an era characterised by constantly changing consumer behaviour and economic uncertainties, content has emerged as a key factor driving decision-making.

The golden age of content allows everyone to participate in product and service recommendations, making “shoppertainment” a long-term trend rather than a short-term phenomenon.