Southeast Asia cashing in on Singles Day, and vice versa

SINGAPORE - Singles Day, the Alibaba-driven annual shopping bonanza, has seen rapid uptake outside its home of China throughout Southeast Asia, according to research carried out by Criteo.

After analysing 21 million online transactions across Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia between 25 October and 30 November last year, Criteo found a significant spike in shopping on 11 November, Singles Day, and the two days prior.

Average online traffic leapt 44 percent between 9 and 12 November 2015 on key retailer websites including Zalora in Singapore, MahatariMall in Indonesia and Tiki in Vietnam. Indonesia saw the largest Singles Day traffic increase, followed by Singapore.

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A gigantic 167 percent average increase in sales occurred in the same period, with Singapore topping the list with a 200 percent hike in online transactions. Thailand and Vietnam also saw big jumps with 173 percent and 162 percent respectively. 

“Singles Day has now become the biggest shopping event of the year and retailers in Southeast Asia recognise this trend, and will be looking to capitalise on it," Alban Villani, Criteo's commercial director for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, told Campaign Asia-Pacific.

“Retailers can make use of the data to better understand their consumers and reach out to them more effectively. For example, from 9 November onwards, we see a gradual increase in web traffic and online transactions, peaking on 11 November. So if retailers start sending out promotions and deals from 9 November, consumers are more likely to visit and purchase from their website.”

Several retailers and brands, including Groupon, Cotton On and Hotels.com, are offering Singles Day promotions across Southeast Asia, although the majority are in Singapore. That said, Xiaomi and Huawei have launched Singles Day promotions in Malaysia again this year.

Unsurprisingly, Alibaba-owned Lazada Singapore has launched a huge Singles Day campaign across all its Southeast Asian markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam).

This year, the online shopping portal has promised to be even more brand-focused and offer deals from brands such as Laneige, Nestlé, Oppo and Samsung. Lazada’s Singles Day will also last a whole month this year, the only market outside China—where parent Alibaba runs the show—that this is occurring.

“These limited-time deals and offers have consistently received a strong response from shoppers in previous years, as they gear up towards making the most of year-end sales,” Alexis Lanternier, Lazada Singapore CEO, told Campaign Asia-Pacific. 

In 2015, Lanternier said Lazada Singapore saw a sixfold revenue increase between 11 November and 12 December, a period that also includes shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“We are confident in saying that year-end shopping during and around the Singles' Day period has potential for growth,” he said.