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Study Reveals That APAC Online Shoppers Reluctant To Buy From SMEs

[ 12-02-2015 ]
Study Reveals That APAC Online Shoppers Reluctant To Buy From SMEs
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- There is a marked reluctance among online shoppers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC)region to buy directly from small and medium enterprises(SMEs).

This is according to a research study into global consumer behaviour around cross-border e-commerce conducted by independent research firm Forrester Consulting and commissioned by FedEx Express.

The study showed that 57 per cent of APAC respondents ranked buying direct from SMEs as their least-preferred business type for cross-border shopping, ranking it below multi-brand online marketplaces, brand or manufacturer websites and brick-and-mortar retailers.

"Of the APAC respondents who expressed misgivings about buying direct from SME online retailers, 46 per cent said their reluctance stemmed from the difficulty in verifying the seller's reputation or trustworthiness, compared to a global average of just 21 per cent who harbored this reservation," FedEx said in a statement.

The results of the study complemented other research on the current e-commerce landscape in Malaysia, as the e-commerce market size is estimated to grow to 5.76 billion in 2015.

An estimated 40 per cent of all Malaysian e-commerce is cross-border.

The study was completed in September last year. It surveyed 9006 global online shoppers in 17 countries and regions.

The study suggests that doubts about using SME online retailers' websites had not dampened APAC consumer appetite for all cross-border online purchases.

In fact, APAC consumers spend an average of almost US$350 per year on such purchases, compared to a global average of US$300.

-- BERNAMA
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