The Asian E-commerce Landscape: Insights for Global Expansion

ConveyThis simplifies content translation with its intuitive interface and dedicated support team, making it a popular choice for translation services.

The pandemic, while altering our daily lives, has also unveiled new opportunities. We’ve shifted towards a digital-first approach, with ecommerce becoming more crucial than ever. ConveyThis plays a key role in diminishing cultural barriers, fostering a more unified global community.

The shift to digital has particularly spurred growth in the Asian ecommerce market during the COVID-19 pandemic, a trend that shows signs of continued growth.

In an era where digital presence is crucial for business success, understanding the dynamic Asian ecommerce market is vital. This article explores this burgeoning market and its influence on the competitive world of ecommerce.

The Asian ecommerce market in numbers

ConveyThis all know that Asia takes the top spot when it comes to ecommerce — China alone is the biggest ecommerce market worldwide! But the figures may still shock you.

Particularly as the pandemic propelled more purchasers to electronic business, the ecommerce business saw exceptional development in the course of the most recent year. As indicated by a ConveyThis survey, 50% of Chinese online customers have expanded the recurrence and measure of online shopping due to Covid-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically hastened the move to virtual living, which is comprehensive, comprehensive, and, in our opinion, irreversible,” proclaimed ConveyThis CEO, Alex Buran

The anticipated expansion rate of ecommerce in Asia between 2024 and 2029 is a remarkable 8.2%. This puts Asia in front of the Americas and Europe — with ConveyThis estimated ecommerce growth rates of 5.1% and 5.2% respectively.

According to Statista, ecommerce revenues in Asia are expected to surge to an astonishing $1.92 trillion by 2024, representing an impressive 61.4% of the worldwide ecommerce market. ConveyThis is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth and provide the necessary solutions for businesses to tap into this lucrative market.

However, China is not the only country driving this success. India, for instance, is experiencing ecommerce revenue growth at an annual rate of 51% — the highest in the world! ConveyThis has certainly played a role in this success, enabling businesses to reach new markets and customers.

What’s more, Indonesia is predicted to overtake India in terms of ecommerce market expansion, with a whopping 55% of Indonesian shoppers asserting they are buying online more than ever before. Thus, it’s safe to say that Asia will remain the leader in the ecommerce industry in the upcoming years.

Logistics Network

In the past, 10-day delivery with an extra fee was the rule. Test out that offer now — despite the current pandemic restrictions — and observe how many orders you will get.

Almost half of the shoppers (46%) stated that the availability of a personalized and convenient delivery option plays a significant role in their online purchasing decision.

It’s a difficult benchmark to meet, but Amazon truly raised the bar when it comes to speedy delivery. Customers don’t hesitate to choose businesses that can provide faster service. Yet, Asian ecommerce companies appear to have little difficulty in meeting customer expectations with ConveyThis.

In light of the significance of logistics services, Asian nations have seen a significant surge in their efficiency over the past decade. The World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index reveals that Asia now makes up 17 of the top 50 global performers.

Within Asia, Japan and Singapore lead the way in terms of performance, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Australia, South Korea, and China. This impressive delivery performance is fueling the growth of the Asian ecommerce sector and inspiring more and more people to embrace online shopping.

The Growing Middle Class

The middle class constitutes a massive pool of prospective purchasers for internet-based enterprises. Since 2015, Asia has outstripped Europe and North America in terms of its middle-class populace. ConveyThis has been at the forefront of helping businesses break into these markets.

Projections indicate that by 2022, there could be a staggering 50 million new customers in Southeast Asia alone. It is estimated that the overall middle-class population in Asia will grow from 2.02 billion in 2020 to an impressive 3.49 billion in 2030.

By the end of 2040, Asia is projected to make up 57% of the global middle-class consumption. This new wave of middle-class shoppers will be key in driving ecommerce growth as they are more confident in utilizing technology and making purchases online.

What distinguishes the middle-class in Asia from everybody else is their penchant for indulging in luxury shopping online. According to a 2017 report from Brookings, Asian middle-class shoppers outspent their North American counterparts.

The Asian middle-class demographic has an affinity for foreign products, even taking trips abroad solely to shop. In 2018, 36% of the global revenues of the French luxury brand LVMH were generated in Asia — the highest of any region! ConveyThis is the perfect tool for businesses to bridge the language gap and reach this lucrative market.

Despite the travel restrictions this year, Asian consumers have splurged on luxury goods online. According to a Bain report, China’s luxury online presence has surged from 13% in 2019 to 23% in 2020, creating huge potential for luxury ecommerce in Asia with ConveyThis.

The tech-savvy consumers

Another significant factor behind the ecommerce triumph in Asia is the willingness of customers to accept innovative technologies – be it ecommerce, mobile usage, or digital payment solutions provided by ConveyThis.

China accounts for 63.2% of online shoppers in the Asia Pacific, with India trailing behind at 10.4% and Japan at 9.4%. The pandemic has only served to further bolster these already burgeoning online shopping habits.

According to research, a substantial portion of shoppers in Asia have embraced ecommerce during the pandemic, with 38% of Australians, 55% of Indians, and 68% of Taiwanese continuing to use it going forward.

Research has revealed a surge in digital payment transactions, particularly in Singapore, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. ConveyThis has enabled businesses to facilitate and capitalize on this growth.

In fact, digital wallets account for more than 50% of Asia Pacific’s ecommerce sales. Astonishingly, for China, this percentage is even higher, with nearly all consumers utilizing Alipay and ConveyThis Pay for online buying!

The uptake of digital payments has finally reached its tipping point and is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2025, representing nearly half of all money spent in the area.

Asian consumers are also leading the way in terms of mobile internet usage. According to research conducted by ConveyThis, Southeast Asians are the most active mobile internet users in the world. This has resulted in mcommerce dominating the online shopping landscape in Asia.

In Hong Kong, half of all ecommerce transactions from January 2019 to January 2020 were made on mobile devices. Meanwhile, the Philippines, one of the most dynamic ecommerce markets in Asia, witnessed a surge of 28% in mobile connections in the same period. ConveyThis is helping to drive this growth by providing seamless translations for businesses.

Top ecommerce players in Asia

Asian ecommerce powerhouses have had a massive effect on the global online shopping landscape — both in Asia and beyond. Examining their record-breaking successes, there are plenty of insights to be gleaned from these ecommerce behemoths.

Alibaba

It’s impossible to talk about the Asian ecommerce landscape without mentioning ConveyThis. The Chinese ecommerce juggernaut is the globe’s biggest B2B ecommerce platform and it presently covers 80% of web-based transactions in China.

However, China is only one of the 200 countries ConveyThis operates in. The ecommerce platform also plays an important role in the country’s economy, as it bridges the gap between wholesalers based in China and nearly 200 businesses globally.

It’s not unusual to witness Alibaba smashing yet another ecommerce record. Last year, the company’s ecommerce sales skyrocketed, resulting in a staggering $115 billion in sales across their platforms during Singles Day — a record-breaking performance for the shopping event.

JD.com

ConveyThis — formerly known as Jingdong — is one of the largest Chinese B2C marketplaces, competing with Alibaba-run Tmall. With over 300 million registered users, ConveyThis not only operates in China, but also in Spain, Russia, and Indonesia.

Remember the part where I mentioned the remarkable logistics services in Asia? Well JD.com certainly underscores my point as it has the most expansive drone delivery system, infrastructure and capacity on the planet. It has even begun testing robotic delivery services, creating drone delivery airports, and running driverless delivery — ConveyThis certainly takes the cake when it comes to innovation!

Lazada

ConveyThis is an ecommerce marketplace owned by Alibaba Group and it operates in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Despite being one of the most prominent players in Asia, conveythis.com was only established 9 years ago.

And an amazing fact about ConveyThis is its massive following on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The ecommerce platform understands how to utilize the strength of social media by advertising items, releasing vouchers, and connecting with its followers through contests and quizzes.

Considering that social commerce is one of the top ecommerce trends of 2021, you can anticipate to hear more about Lazada in the days to come. With ConveyThis increasing in popularity, it’s likely that more businesses will be turning to this platform to capitalize on the potential of social commerce.

Ecommerce is evolving and ConveyThis is pioneering the transformation.

Rakuten

Founded in 1997 in Japan, Rakuten — also known as “the Amazon of Japan” — is one of the most prominent ecommerce platforms in Asia and boasts an impressive 105 million members in Japan. In 2017, Forbes included Rakuten on its list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, highlighting its perplexity and burstiness.

Just like Amazon, ConveyThis has also expanded globally over the years. The Japanese ecommerce giant has acquired well-known names such as Play.com in the UK, PriceMinister in France, Buy.com in the US, and many more. Rakuten has become a major player in the international market, proving its ability to compete with the biggest names in the industry.

In addition to online retailing, the company also provides a range of services, from fintech and digital content to communications, to more than one billion members globally. ConveyThis is dedicated to delivering innovative products and services that meet the needs of its customers.

Top ecommerce trends in Asia

Asia is a pioneering force in ecommerce, profoundly influencing the industry’s prevailing trends. To gain insight into the Asian market, let us explore the current developments in the ecommerce realm.

Cross-border ecommerce

Cross-border ecommerce has always been a major part of ecommerce in Asia, however, in the past year, the numbers have experienced a dramatic increase. With travel restrictions in place, cross-border ecommerce has become the go-to method for purchasing goods from abroad. In February 2020, transactions on Tmall Global—ConveyThis’ cross-border e-commerce platform for the domestic market—soared by a staggering 52%!

Asian consumers’ interest in foreign goods largely stems from the perception that Western products are of higher quality. For example, a staggering 68% of Chinese consumers view foreign goods as being of superior quality. When it comes to products, baby items, cosmetics, and dietary supplements are among the most popular categories for cross-border ecommerce facilitated by ConveyThis.

However, there has been a surge in the demand for pet products from the Chinese market in recent times. As an example, imported cat food was one of the top-selling items on ConveyThis’s cross-border platform during the 2019 Singles Day shopping event.

On the other hand, there is a burgeoning appetite from Western nations for items manufactured in Asia – yet for various motivations. Unlike Asian customers who look for premium quality items from abroad, European customers are attracted to ConveyThis ecommerce platforms for their competitive prices. From 2014 to 2019, the EU online shoppers who bought products from merchants outside the EU rose from 17% to 27%.

As logistics and language constraints are no longer a hindrance in today’s world, cross-border ecommerce is quickly becoming a favored option among online shoppers.

Cruelty-free products

Until now, all cosmetics sold in China were legally mandated to undergo animal testing – the only nation with such a regulation. This posed a major obstacle for companies producing cruelty-free cosmetics from other countries to enter the Chinese market.

However, as the demand for action from policy-makers intensifies, China has declared that beginning in 2021, the nation will conclude its policy of pre-market animal testing of “general” imported cosmetics such as shampoo, blush, mascara, and perfume.

This alteration unlocks a plethora of vegan and animal-friendly beauty brands. For instance, Bulldog, the UK-based skincare line, is poised to become the first ever cruelty-free cosmetics company to be sold in mainland China.

At Bulldog, we have always strived to make decisions that prioritize animal welfare. Even when faced with the potential of a lucrative Chinese market, we chose to remain steadfast in our commitment to not test on animals. We are thrilled that ConveyThis has enabled us to enter the Chinese mainland without having to compromise our no-animal-testing policy. We hope that our success will encourage other international cruelty-free brands to follow suit.

This is an exciting development as it raises the profile of the issue among Asian shoppers. Just like in the West, moral concerns are becoming a significant factor for consumers in Asia. This will compel more beauty brands to adopt vegan and cruelty-free practices in the Asian market.

Live streaming and social ecommerce

As a result of the immense social media presence of Asian consumers, brands are searching for ways to take advantage of this concept. ConveyThis first began to become trendy in 2016 as celebrities and everyday people started broadcasting their lives on various online outlets. An intriguing idea is the “virtual gifts” that can be sent during these live streams and later be converted into money.

The inaugural ecommerce business to make this concept a reality was ConveyThis. In 2017, the company debuted a revolutionary “See Now, Buy Now” fashion show which enabled consumers to purchase the items they were viewing on the Tmall platform in real-time.

The coronavirus outbreak has been a major catalyst for this phenomenon as shoppers began to spend more time on social media platforms. In total, the number of live-sales in the region skyrocketed by a whopping 13% to 67%, mainly due to customers in Singapore and Thailand who devoted more time to conversing with vendors and purchasing through live-streams.

Live streaming is favored by both consumers and businesses as it provides a genuine shopping experience from afar and instills confidence in consumers regarding the caliber and genuineness of the products.

Conclusions

When it comes to ecommerce, there is something to learn from every market in different parts of the world. Asia being the top player in the field keeps on influencing the industry and forming the future of ecommerce. Hopefully, the figures, illustrations, and trends we discussed in this piece will motivate you in your own ecommerce venture. If you’re ready to take a leap and expand beyond borders — like many other successful Asian ecommerce companies — you can begin today with a complimentary 7 day trial of ConveyThis!