Tablets, smartphones boost e-commerce in Asia – study

According to the e-Commerce Consumer Monitor Research, conducted by Transaction Network Services (TNS), a provider of payment gateway and payment network connectivity services and published by Visa, in economies where smartphone and tablet penetration are high, consumers are already showing a tendency of picking up products through their mobile devices or tablets. Results show that four in ten respondents declared they have browsed products on their mobile or tablet devices in 2012. Actually, browsing on mobile phones has exceeded 40 percent in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. Hong Kong has accounted for 13 percent of its online purchases on mobile phones and 11 percent on tablets.

The same source also points out that seven out of 10 respondents in mature shopping markets such as Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore have connected their purchases to better security systems.

With regard to items purchased, data mentions that physical books, CDs, DVDs, fashion and groceries have been listed as the top three most browsed and transacted product categories in 2012. Looking ahead, 92 percent of consumers stated they would make an online purchase in 2013. The same source reveals that credit cards have been cited as the top method for payments by 67 percent of respondents. Debit cards have remained a secondary option with just 19 percent opting for the service.

The study was conducted from March to June 2012 across Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Russia, Philippines and South Africa and is based on a sample of 8,000 consumers who access the internet at least once a week, selected based on age, gender and annual household income.