Data Tips for Understanding Filipino Online Shopping Behavior
Given the popularity of online shopping in the Philippines, here are a few ways you can use data to understand Filipino shopping behavior more.
1. Collect and organize data
Data collection allows you to gather information about your buyers and effectively target the right audience using appropriate methods. E-commerce platforms typically offer data collection features like feedback forms and customer surveys to measure traffic and revenue.
Utilizing these tools lets you learn more about your Filipino shoppers, their preferences, and their behavior.
2. Check the demographic profile
Not all Filipino online buyers are alike, which emphasizes the need for customer profiling. According to Statista, 53.4% of Facebook’s advertising reach was female. This data highlights the importance of tailoring your messaging to appeal to female customers if your business goal is to increase reach.
Customer age also significantly impacts purchasing behavior. For instance, SalesForce data reveals that 27% of Millennials opt for private-label products to save money, while only 13% of Gen Z do the same. Additionally, Millennials (26%) are more likely than Gen Z (22%) to shop at reasonably priced businesses.
These differences can be attributed to family responsibilities, as Millennials have families to support more than Gen Zers.
3. Analyze your channels or platforms for online shopping
When marketing your eCommerce business on various channels, it’s best to meet your customers where they already are. For Filipinos, it’s Facebook; the second-most visited website in the country behind Google.
By leveraging customer analytics services, you can closely monitor the online activities of Filipino shoppers and identify the platforms where they are most active. This valuable insight helps you decide where to invest your marketing efforts for maximum reach and engagement with your target audience.
4. Determine consumer attitudes and values
Data can reveal what your customers ultimately value. For instance, Mega Sale Days, as the year ends, tend to bring a considerable influx of customers, Meta reports. This data suggest that customers value holidays and are more open to spending more than in any other season.
5. Understand what’s trending
Staying updated with current consumer trends allows capitalization on the increased sales it can often bring. Use your sales data to uncover trending items and potentially catch market trends early.
For instance, say you focused on TikTok as your primary platform. If you noticed a significant increase in sales of your skincare products, it could’ve been an early indicator of the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend. By analyzing this sales surge, you can deduce that social media trends and influencers highly influence your customers.
6. Expand your payment options
Analyze how your customers prefer to pay for their orders. According to Statista, roughly eight in ten Filipino shoppers (86%) favor cash-on-delivery payment over online channels. You can use this information to determine whether you should expand your payment options to cater to Filipinos who may feel more secure paying in cash.
All this being said, data isn’t valuable in itself; how you incorporate it into your strategies determines its value.