Retail therapy: Twitter insights on PH online shopping

Are you what you shop? Twitter, as the go-to place for #WhatsHappening in the Philippines, is also a hotspot for candid conversations around retail therapy. Consumers openly share their buying habits as they talk about the latest sales and online shopping sprees. These insights on retail therapy can help brands understand consumers better and drive home the importance of ecommerce.

“There’s no doubt that shopping conversations on Twitter are increasing across Southeast Asia. While we see peaks in the lead-up to ecommerce days and for a few days after, shopping is a year-round conversation on Twitter. As people are shifting more to ecommerce and mcommerce, we see this conversational trend continuing to grow rapidly,” said Twitter Southeast Asia Managing Director Arvinder Gujral in a press statement.

Changes in consumer behavior on Twitter

“For brands, this requires a change in the way they approach their marketing. A more in-depth understanding of why people shop online and what influences their online shopping habits is needed, and in the Philippines we are seeing brands turn to Twitter to connect with their customers and leverage the leaned-in nature of people on Twitter in the Philippines,” Gujral said.

Here are five insights on the retail therapy behavior of Filipino consumers on Twitter.

Most Filipinos bought their essentials online

Since people #StayAtHome, Filipinos have been relying more on the internet to safely add to their shopping carts. In the past month, 78 percent of Filipinos on Twitter have recently purchased a product online while 93 percent have visited an online retail site or store to check out items.

The lockdown period also saw an evolution in online purchasing habits, with Filipinos mostly stocking up on essentials.

Here are the Top 5 items Filipino users bought online in the last month.

• Shampoo & Conditioner (81 percent)
• Cleaning Products (76 percent)
• Laundry Products (72 percent)
• Deodorant (70 percent)
• Snack Food (66 percent)

People think before they shop

When product photos and information won’t suffice, online shoppers do their research to gather more details about the product and if it’s worth buying. Over 69 percent of Filipino online shoppers on Twitter always do their research first before making a purchase.

In addition, 55 percent of Filipino online shoppers go to social media to discover what’s new in the market and check out real sentiments and reviews from buyers.

Connecting to interests piques their attention

When creating their message, brands can draw inspiration from the language of their target audience. For starters, female shoppers are into music (82 percent), food and drink (81 percent), and cooking (80 percent).

Meanwhile, the top picks for male shoppers are technology (82 percent), gadgets (79 percent), and music (78 percent).

Purchase drivers among Filipinos

For Filipino online shoppers on Twitter, 67 percent are driven to purchase because of free delivery, 55 percent buy from brands who champion an advocacy, 52 percent check out if a store allows pay with cash, and 50 percent are enticed by discounts.

Shoppers nowadays are more conscious about issues, so brands must definitely consider championing an advocacy genuinely.

Filipinos openly express shopping excitement

Though 9/9, 10/10, or 11/11 sales only happen for one day, conversations around the one-day sale actually begin and last longer.

Brands and consumers alike interact on Twitter, opening a good chance to build brand loyalty and gather valuable insights for growth and better customer experience.