Facebook on Thursday shared key insights into Vietnamese consumers' behaviours towards year-end and Mega Sales Days (MSD) to help businesses and the economy recover from COVID-19 pandemic.
Khoi Le, Head of Business and Solutions at Facebook, for the Vietnam market, said that understanding the power of MSDs helps businesses to go beyond promotional discounts and towards facilitating a strong brand story and image.
“In light of the pandemic, it’s even more critical for Vietnamese businesses to have an online presence and strengthen various digital touch points, including websites, social networks and messaging platforms,” he said.
“The changing shopping behaviors are here to stay. It’s more important than ever for businesses to prepare themselves to be ready now for these MSD, not only for this year, but the years to come,” said Khoi.
Facebook’s Family of Apps as their #1 online source for ideas and inspiration. — Infographic Facebook
Facebook found that during the Tet Holiday 2021, 79 per cent of shoppers surveyed in Viet Nam admitted that they had made online purchases while 82 per cent used a mobile device because “it’s safer and more convenient.”
A further 60 per cent of shoppers reported turning to remote and online channels to send gifts.
It also found that in 2020, 84 per cent of surveyed MSDs shoppers planned their purchases before the events (15 per cent higher than the APAC average).
Most shoppers planned to buy apparel and fashion items, while electronics and household appliances were often purchased on Singles Day. There were 72 per cent of shoppers who spent more time shopping during Tet. Another 51 per cent used Facebook’s apps during the Tet holiday to find deals and promotions.
It also found buyers are more open to new brands on MSDs when 95 per cent of MSD shoppers in Viet Nam purchase a brand they’d never tried before.
Another 79 per cent were likely to try new or different brands when shopping for food and drink during the Lunar New Year season. More importantly, 83 per cent of Vietnamese shoppers would buy new brands again that they discovered during MSD again.
Facebook’s Family of Apps during Tet holiday to find deals promotions. — Infographic Facebook
Videos and experiential content boosted demand during MSDs with 84 per cent of shoppers saying they first discovered the product they ended up buying via videos on social media.
Music videos, comedies and reality TV shows remained the most-watched content during Tet, with younger viewers more attracted to user generated content in which Facebook’s apps were the go-to platforms.
The survey found that brand trust was a key consideration factor for shoppers during the competitive MSDs season. Notably, shoppers expect to see brands producing content that is real and authentic on social media.
COVID-19, safety was also top of mind for shoppers with timely delivery, product availability and customer service were among other top considerations when making decisions.
The year-end holidays of 2020 also witnessed more first-time MSD shoppers, with 28 per cent reporting that “this year was the first time I shopped during an event”. This makes sense in a world where online shopping is becoming a norm.
Of millennials, 91 per cent said that online purchasing played a bigger role in their lives and 82 per cent of Gen X said that they would continue to buy more online in the future. In fact, 9 out of 10 consumers surveyed confirmed that they would consider shopping on future MSDs.— VNS