Study: 70% of SEA Gen Zs rely on eCommerce for purchase research

Nearly 70% of Gen Zs in the region consider e-commerce platforms a key entry point for their shopping journey, relying on these platforms to research their purchases.

Despite exploring alternative channels for product research and discovery, a majority (73%) of Gen Zs completed their purchases on e-commerce platforms. Notably, 56% of those who initially engage with social commerce platforms for research prefer returning to e-commerce platforms to complete transactions.

These were the results of eCommerce platform Shopee's recent study into shopping behaviours among Southeast Asian Gen Zs that surveyed over 2,400 shoppers. It also found that the preference for e-commerce stems from several key factors, including the wide selection of products (79%), good product quality (77%) and convenient payment methods (59%).

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Shopee’s survey also found that one in three Gen Zs would spend at least five days researching their purchases, reading reviews and watching product demonstrations (27%), reading about product features and specifications (24%), and pricing information (14%).

While they take their time to conduct in-depth research for their purchases, a seamless return and refund process, along with next-day delivery services, emerge as top considerations for carting out. 

The survey also highlighted that eight in ten of the Gen Z respondents seek engaging and entertaining shopping experiences. 

As the eCommerce industry booms with GenZs, the number of eCommerce complaints have also increased by 54% in the first half of 2023 as compared to the same period in 2022 despite an 8% drop in general consumer complaints, according to the Consumers Association of Singapore’s (CASE) mid-year consumer complaints report which was released late last year. 

The report revealed that CASE received 1,703 complaints involving online purchases in the first half of 2023 as compared to 1,107 complaints in the first half of 2022.

CASE also added that the growing number of complaints are to be expected due to the increasing popularity of online shopping.

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