Report reveals key digital habits among Singapore shoppers

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Shopee Singapore has released its report, ‘Past the Starting Line: Adapting to Singapore’s Digital Consumers in 2023’. To better understand e-commerce usage and attitudes of consumers, Shopee Singapore conducted an online survey in Singapore on 5 December 2022 among 1,361 Shopee users aged 15 to 70 years old.

These data-driven insights will allow businesses to more strategically leverage e-commerce and digital services to stay relevant and achieve their goals in this changing digital landscape.

Zhou Junjie, Chief Commercial Officer, Shopee said, “As digital consumers continue to shape the future of the digital economy, it is important to be able to identify their evolving needs and preferences while adapting quickly to meet them.

“This year, we are sharing key trends that we have observed among Singaporean users, which indicate increasing and savvier use of digital services, the rise of more purposeful buyers alongside the growing adoption of e-commerce and online entertainment among older users.”

1. Increased and savvier use of digital services

The pandemic has left a lasting impact on online shopping behaviors and the use of digital services. With the availability of a greater variety of items on e-commerce platforms, 87% of respondents shared that e-commerce shopping offers convenience and has made a significant positive impact on their lives.

Users are also making more orders and buying more products online, with more than 70% of respondents receiving up to five packages from e-commerce platforms per month. E-commerce platforms are expected to remain popular among consumers in Singapore.

2. The rise of more purposeful buyers

Trust is more important than ever, with consumers in Singapore becoming more discerning of quality. They scrutinise the authenticity of what they buy and the sellers they buy from. They are also actively reading and leaving reviews, to ensure they and others alike can make informed purchasing decisions.

For example, 3 in 4 respondents find customer reviews on Shopee reliable and believe that they help with their purchasing decisions. 

Digital consumers are also turning to Shopee’s diverse Key Opinion Leaders and affiliates for their recommendations on which brands and sellers to buy from. The real-time reviews and recommendations from hosts on Shopee Live and affiliates allow users to get a better understanding of the products, and ultimately influence their purchasing decisions.

3. Growing adoption of e-commerce and online entertainment among older users

With the silver generation becoming more tech-savvy in recent years, more older users are coming online to not only shop but to also be entertained. 70% of all silver generation respondents (aged 55 and above) said they have integrated e-commerce into their daily routine, while 84% said they are buying a larger variety of items online, compared to 80% for Gen Z and Gen X.

There is also increasing interest among older users in engaging with in-app games and livestream content. For businesses, this presents more opportunity to access this growing user segment, if they are able to tap on the right mix of content at the right time to reach these users.