Mobile transactions, or m-commerce, in Southeast Asia now account for almost a third (27%) of all e-commerce transactions in the region, according to Criteo.
The analysis comes from Criteo’s analysis of 1.4 billion individual transactions totaling over US$160 billion in annual sales globally, and puts the region at a similar level to Spain and Italy, and right behind the United States.
Specifically the figure stands at 34% for Indonesia, 31% for Taiwan, and 29% for Singapore. Overall, the figures are in line with mobile transactions globally, which is set to account for 40% of all e-commerce transactions by end-2015.
Not surprisingly, cross-device usage is now enormous, with multiple devices being used to make a single purchase. Indeed, it was found that more than 40% of e-commerce transactions fall into this category, with a combination of smartphones, desktops and tablets used to research and make purchasing decisions.
Other noteworthy findings
- Mobile-optimized sites experience more than double the conversion rate of non-optimized sites
- Mobile apps experience higher conversion rates than mobile browsers or on the desktop
- The top verticals are the fashion, luxury and travel
“Southeast Asia is currently the fastest-growing region globally, with mobile being a key driver, especially in developing markets like Indonesia and India,” Criteo Southeast Asia managing director Yuko Saito said.
“These developing markets are ‘mobile-first’ – most consumers will own smartphones before they own desktops, with potential for further growth as smartphone penetration continues to increase.”
“Overall, for both developing and mature markets, mobile optimization is crucial for eCommerce businesses looking to engage the region’s growing smartphone population,” said Saito.