China Digital
What Online Christmas Shoppers Want
During the Christmas holidays, a staggering 85% of customers base their final purchasing decisions on final cost, as well as promotional deals. With price comparisons being so easy to do, this aspect is one part of the holiday shopping experience that simply cannot be ignored. If you’re selling items on marketplace platforms like eBay and Amazon, it is absolutely crucial for your store to maintain competitive prices at all times. To make life a little easier, there are automated repricers that adjust prices according to the competitive landscape and other parameters that you set. Another expectation of holiday shoppers is free shipping. In fact, 61% of consumers say they would cancel their Christmas shopping orders if delivery fees were involved. While at first, it may seem financially unwise to offer free shipping, remember to keep in mind that there are several ways to do so while also making a profit, such as creating minimum order amounts, offering flat rate shipping, or tiered shipping options. Remember to also be as transparent as possible when it comes to different policies, shipping timelines, and deadlines. Customers don’t want to waste time reading any fine print and they don’t want any negative surprises, especially during the holiday season. Finally, a great store reputation is absolutely imperative in maximizing sales and profits. Make sure you are doing everything in your power to avoid poor reviews and ratings for your store.
Source: Retail In Asia
China Digital
China’s Mobile Ad Boom
Slow download speeds, lack of quality data analysis and start-up uncertainty in China has constrained the mobile advertising market in recent years, but a new eMarketer report states that the size of the Chinese mobile audience is just too big to bypass any longer. The report, titled ‘China Mobile Advertising: The Long Wait Is Over’ reveals that an estimated 28.5% of China’s population were using smartphones in 2012, a statistic that is expected to rise over the coming years. Not only is the market large in terms of users, but also in terms of time spent on those mobile devices. The China Internet Network Information Center found that nearly once quarter of smartphone owners were spending more than 4 hours on mobile internet daily. Despite the size and engagement of the mobile audience, expenditure on mobile advertising is still relatively tiny. eMarketer expects this investment to grow sharply in 2013, with message based advertising continuing to make up a significant chunk of the spending. However, there are challenges for brand advertisers. It is important not to overestimate the ideal that consumers in China will always engage with apps. Brand advertisers must ensure they carefully consider their marketing objectives before investing the time and money required to build a customized app.
Source: eMarketer