Thais set to flock to online platforms for ‘9.9’, year-end shopping
E-commerce marketplaces are one of the first places Thais will descend on to spend their money, said retail online platform Shopee as it began its attractive year-end sales campaign.
According to the GWI Digital 2022 Thailand Report by Data Reportal, the country is “very adaptable” to digital activities, with a high penetration rate of internet users.
Thailand’s web users have increased by nearly 70 per cent, and the majority shop online at least once a week, Shopee Thailand senior marketing manager Suchaya Paleewong said on Tuesday during the campaign’s official launch ceremony.
The Global Digital Trends report by We Are Social and Hootsuite in July confirmed that Thailand ranked first in the world for online shopping per week in the first quarter of 2022 at 66.5 per cent.
The top reason why people are increasingly turning to online shopping is free shipping and deliveries, but special price offers during special events is also an important incentive, Suchaya noted.
“Now that everything is returning to normal, people are leading normal lives and shopping once again, which is a positive sign for the Thai economy and points to a recovery and growth,” she said.
Last year the platform’s Super Shopping Day campaign on September 9 saw as many as 45 million items snapped up in a mere 99 minutes. This year’s campaign is expected to break records, according to Suchaya.
“Now in its seventh year, the campaign concept of ‘upsized’ highlights an even better online shopping experience for everyone – sellers, buyers, partners, brands and society,” she said.
The year-end shopping season on e-commerce platforms is also expected to be extremely competitive.
Lazada, another popular Southeast Asian online marketplace, has also been running its “9.9” shopping festival. This year, the platform has teamed up with leading domestic and international brands to provide special discounts of up to 90 per cent.
JD.com, meanwhile, has launched its “9.9 Birthday Fest” campaign, which includes free shipping, a lucky draw, and special fixed-price items (999 baht) from leading electronics and mobile gadget brands.
According to statista.com, Thailand’s e-commerce market revenue is expected to reach US$22.20 billion (810.8 billion baht) in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 14.8 per cent, and hit $33.58 billion by 2025.
