#AsiaeCommerceAwards 2021 spills: ASUS SG's strategy for the omnichannel shopper

ASUS is known for its motherboards, PCs, monitors, graphics cards, and routers. The pandemic saw a rapid development of eCommerce and ASUS quickly recognised digital transformation as vital to maintaining its standing in the industry. To cater to customers' high expectations for the online and offline shopping experience, it partnered with SmartOSC and Antsomi to launch an initiative aimed at personalising the shopping experience for customers. The initiative also saw ASUS win bronze for Best Use of Personalisation at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Asia eCommerce Awards 2021. 

In an interview, Eddie Teng (pictured), head of marketing and digital business manager, ASUS Singapore told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the company saw customers evolving into omnichannel shoppers during COVID-19, which continued to grow post-pandemic. He also shared how it tailored its communications to shoppers to cater to this changing behaviour. 

This interview is done as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners and finalists’ interview series for Asia eCommerce Awards 2021. To find out more about the awards, click here.

What have the past two years been like for you given the sudden pivot to eCommerce?

Teng: There’s never been a more exciting time to be in eCommerce and with an already established presence in this space, the past two years have accelerated the progression of ASUS' eCommerce initiatives and results. During this period, ASUS has continued to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping with a robust unified eCommerce system, enhancing omnichannel capability and enabling personalisation in its communications through marketing technology.

What was one challenge that took you by surprise and how did you pivot?

Teng: Purchasing a laptop and desktop has always been a behaviour seen on the brick and mortar stores prior to now due to the higher ticket value. Over the past two years where offline retail has experienced a shift due to the changing behaviour of consumers towards online shopping, we began to see more omnichannel shoppers emerging, where consumers are web rooming and showrooming before committing to the purchase. That is why and where we recognised the importance of understanding these new shoppers and ensuring we can tailor our communications to them too.

With markets opening up, what are some trends do you have your eyes on?

Teng: The changing behaviour of shoppers and the emergence of more omnichannel shoppers are the two things we have been observing. At ASUS, we do not just believe that the brand experience starts with our products, it in fact starts when consumers start shopping for their next laptop or desktop. As part of this observation, ASUS has stepped up its effort in building up its omnichannel capability to cater to these behaviours and at the same time working on understanding these shoppers' wants and needs to personalise its communications to them.

What do you think makes for great marketing these days?

Teng: Marketing has evolved to a point where it is not just about communicating to customers but about communicating to customers individually. What would be great marketing is how brands can talk to their customers on a personal level, understanding what they would like to hear and see. That is what ASUS see as personalisation at its best.

How do you feel about your win?

Teng: We’re thrilled to have our hard work recognised by such a prestigious publication. It’s nice to know that our efforts have been seen by the industry at large, as well as by our own employees and of course our customers. Personalising the shopping experience is crucial for brands in today’s market so the project with SmartOSC and Antsomi to ramp up our efforts in this arena was a top priority for us. We could not have done it without a partner such as SmartOSC and Antsomi. Their willingness to go the extra mile and tackle problems with a supportive, open-minded, and forward-thinking approach match ours to a tee.