Amazon survey: Increased online spend expected for grocery and personal care items this holiday season

Nevertheless, Singaporean shoppers are still looking to spend more on essential and personal care items like groceries and apparel this holiday season, with online shoppers aged 25 and above more likely to also purchase items online for their children or their partners.

The survey of 1,032 Singaporeans sought to understand local consumers’ shopping behaviour, as well as their views towards local brands and giving to social causes this holiday season. Findings from the survey highlighted several key insights:

Key insight #1: Online shoppers are expected to still spend more on Grocery, Apparel, Health and Personal Care items, despite a relatively conservative holiday shopping mood brought about by global economic conditions.

According to the survey, three in four Singaporeans make at least one online purchase a month, with pricing and sales discounts (50%) emerging as the top consideration factor among online shoppers looking to purchase items this holiday season, followed by product quality (15%) and trustworthiness of a website (11%).

The survey also found that more than half of online shoppers are likely to be more conservative with their spending this holiday season in light of current global economic conditions, with 57% of shoppers saying they will spend less (or buy from cheaper brands) or wait until there is more stability before making large purchases. This highlights the need for retailers to look at helping to mitigate consumers’ fear of inflation and offer budget-friendly options for customers.

On the other hand, almost three in 10 (27%) are optimistic that there will be no impact on their spending this holiday season. Online shoppers also say that the top categories they plan to spend more on during this period are Apparel and Accessories (38%), Groceries (35%), and Health and Personal care (31%).

To cater to this demand, Amazon.sg’s Fresh and Fast selection offers groceries, everyday essentials and more from Amazon Fresh and Watsons for Prime members. Prime members can also enjoy free 2-hour scheduled delivery for orders over S$60 on Watsons or Amazon Fresh.

Key insight #2: Shoppers want to see more from local brands, but are still price-sensitive in their purchase decisions as they shop for themselves and others

More than half of online festive shoppers (53%) also said they are keen to see more items from local brands on e-commerce stores, however, a large majority (78%) said that they will only shop from local brands if there are good deals and promotions. 66% of online shoppers surveyed said that they will buy from brands that offer the lowest prices.

This indicates that while Singaporean shoppers appreciate having more options from local brands, price and value-for-money are still the top considerations, and local brands have to be competitive in their pricing and offers in order to attract online shoppers.

While a large majority of shoppers say they plan to purchase items online for themselves during the holiday (68%), the survey found that almost four in 10 (37%) shoppers aged 25-34 years also plan to purchase items for their parents or partner’s parents, while almost half of shoppers (48%) aged 35-54 years plan to purchase items for their children. This indicates that there is an opportunity for retailers with a target audience aged 25 and above to appeal to online shoppers looking to purchase items or gifts for their family and children.

Shoppers on Amazon.sg can expect a great selection of items and deals from local brands and small businesses such as Hush Candles, PRISM+, Epitex and more at amazon.sg/smallbusinesses. They can also find inspiration on what to buy for their loved ones with Amazon’s selection of curated holiday gift guides at amazon.sg/holiday.

Key Insight #3: When it comes to online donations, transparency that the donations reach the intended beneficiaries is key

The survey found that Singaporeans in general do not donate online to charities or non-profit organisations (NPOs) frequently or regularly, with 34% saying that they prefer to do so only as and when they see a relevant cause. Half of respondents (51%) also said that they will only donate depending on the cause or beneficiary.

46% of Singaporeans said the biggest barrier to donating online is the uncertainty of whether their donation will reach the beneficiaries. This concern, however, is lower among younger audiences aged 18-24 years (31%).

Despite this general sentiment, more than half (54%) said they would be interested to donate to NPOs through an online wishlist based on what they need. This indicates that shoppers will be more inclined to donate if there is greater transparency and a more direct way that their donations can reach the intended beneficiaries.

As people shop on Amazon.sg for holiday gifts or everyday essentials, they can directly support the causes closest to their hearts by browsing the wishlists of items requested by NPOs – a depository of items they need the most. As of today, 16 NPOs in Singapore are part of the Amazon x Shop for Good wishlist initiative.

Leo Laforgia, Country Manager, Amazon Singapore, said, “We recognise that price and trust are important to our customers here, and Amazon strives to deliver the best value so our customers can spend less, smile more, and connect with their loved ones this holiday season. At the same time, we also want to give back to the community and provide a trusted means for our customers to do so through our Shop for Good wishlist initiative, which allows donors to contribute to a cause of their choice while enjoying the transparency on where their donations go.”

Delivering Smiles to children during holidays in Singapore

In the spirit of giving during the holidays, Amazon is also ramping up support for underprivileged children in Singapore via local non-profit organisations (NPOs) that are part of the Amazon x Shop for Good wishlist initiative.

Arc Children’s Centre, Beyond Social Services, SHINE Children and Youth Services, and Singapore Children’s Society will receive S$25,000 each in cash to help vulnerable children and youths in Singapore better learn, play, and develop in the long term. With Amazon’s donation, 25,000 children in Singapore, aged between three and 21 years, will get greater access to better and more enrichment activities, meals, and medical care, among help with other needs.

More Ways to Save this Season

● Holiday Gift Guides: Customers are looking for more ways to save this season than ever before. To help customers get through their gifting list, Amazon’s gift guides have something for everyone, no matter your budget:
o Holiday Toy Store
o Holiday Beauty Parlour
o Holiday Bookstore
o Home & Holiday Decor
o Holiday Treats
o Tech & Gadgets Store
o Secret Santa

Hashtag: #Amazon

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About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit Amazon.sg.

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