Amazon Singapore on Wednesday (9 Jun) released the results of a nationwide survey on consumer shopping behaviour in the past year, conducted by YouGov.
Surveying 1,207 adults in Singapore, the study sought to explore the online shopping behaviour across three main generational groups in the country – Gen Z (born 1997 to 2009), Millennial (born 1981 to 1996), and Gen X (born 1965 to 1980) – and looked at the items purchased in the past year, the impact COVID-19 had on shopping habits, and if the behavioural change is likely to shift post-pandemic.
“Customer obsession has always been at the heart of Amazon’s business globally. By keeping our finger on the pulse of changing consumer trends and behaviour, we ensure the user experience is optimised for customers’ shopping preferences,” said Henry Low, Country Manager at Amazon Singapore.
“Armed with a deeper understanding of the trends shaping multigenerational shopping habits among our customers, Prime Day 2021 – held on June 21 and 22 – is a prime moment for Amazon to deliver exceptional savings on thousands of deals to all generations of Amazon Prime members in Singapore.”
More than half of Singapore shoppers are #ShopLocal fans, with Gen X-ers being the biggest supporters
Across generations, more than half of the respondents said that they will choose to support local sellers over buying the same product from an international seller if there are no price differences.
Living up to their word, the study finds 48 per cent of Gen X shoppers confirming that they bought from local brands in the past one week or more recently, followed closely by Millennial (44 per cent) and Gen Z (34 per cent).
Amazon sees this similar trend among shoppers in its online store. In 2020, Amazon.sg welcomed more than 12,000 small businesses in Singapore, all of whom participated in Prime Day for the first time ever.
This year, there are more than double the number of small businesses participating in Prime Day. Local sellers who participated in Prime Day observed stronger sales numbers during Prime Day than other months.
Shoppers keen to support local and small businesses should visit Amazon’s small business storefront this Prime Day (21 & 22 June).
Gen Z shoppers in Singapore most likely to consciously support businesses that give back to the community when shopping online
While majority of all shoppers polled said they will support organisations that have a charitable component, 63 per cent of Gen Z shoppers said that for the same product, they would rather buy from a seller that gives back to the local community, versus one that does not, compared to 55 per cent of both Millennial and Gen X shoppers.
Shoppers looking to give back to the community can support local non-profit organisations (NPOs) through initiatives like the Amazon X Retail for Good Wishlist programme.
A joint effort with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), the programme lets shoppers purchase items listed on participating NPOs’ wish lists, while Amazon offers a nominal donation to each NPO on board to kickstart the programme.
NPOs on the Wishlist programme include Singapore Children’s Society, Blessings in a Bag, Children’s Wishing Well, Club Rainbow, The Food Bank Singapore, Singapore Red Cross, SOSD, New Hope Community Services, Arc Children’s Centre, SHINE Children and Youth Services, The Singapore Association for the Deaf, and Willing Hearts.
Amazon welcomes more NPOs to join the programme to further facilitate the Wishlist donation drive efforts.
While 90% of Singaporeans were already seasoned online shoppers before the pandemic, the “new normal” saw shoppers spending most on Clothing & Accessories across generations
According to the study findings, Clothing & Accessories top the most popular product categories across all shoppers polled, followed by Health & Personal Care and Groceries:
- Clothing & Accessories (59%)
- This category was the most-shopped among Gen Z (64 per cent), with the group spending 34 per cent of their total online spend – the highest compared to the other generation groups.
- Health & Personal Care (47%)
- Gen Z’s were the most health conscious, spending the highest proportion of their total online spend (25 per cent) on Health & Personal Care products.
- Groceries (46%)
- Groceries contributed to the highest proportion of Millennial’s (36 per cent) and Gen X’s (43 per cent) online spending. More Gen X (19 per cent) and Millennial (18 per cent) grocery online shoppers also carted out groceries online for the first time due to the pandemic.
85% of shoppers polled started buying Pet Supplies online due to the pandemic, said they would continue to buy Pet Supplies moving forward
Of all the product categories purchased since the start of the pandemic, shoppers across the generations said they will continue to buy the following online as often or more.
- Pet Supplies (85%)
- Despite coming in top, this category was overwhelmingly dominated by Millennial (90 per cent) and Gen X (88 per cent) pet supplies shoppers, with both generations driving demand in the Pet Supplies category.
- Beauty & Skincare (82%)
- 84 per cent of Gen Z beauty and skincare shoppers said they will continue to buy Beauty & Skincare products, compared to 85 per cent of Millennial and 75 per cent of Gen X shoppers.
- Books (78%)
- Gen X book shoppers emerged the most voracious readers with 82 per cent indicating they would continue to purchase Books online moving forward.
Gen X puts safety first while Gen Z motivated by wider international selection to shop online; low prices continue to motivate shoppers across generations
With the introduction of social distancing measures and heightened public health alerts, two in five Gen X shoppers (39 per cent) said the ability to avoid public spaces and stay safe is a key motivator for online shopping.
While 27 per cent of Gen Z shoppers said the availability of international selection is a crucial online shopping motivator, the highest compared to their Millennial and Gen X counterparts.
Lastly, with the majority of Singaporeans identifying as Bargain Hunters (32 per cent) and 41 per cent saying that lower prices are the top motivator for online shopping, it comes as no surprise that 23 per cent of shoppers rely on product comparison sites when making online shopping decisions.
Prime Day Returns to Singapore on 21 & 22 June
In the lead up to and on Prime Day, shoppers across Singapore – whether it be Bargain Hunters, Practical Shoppers, Shopaholics, or Informed Buyers – can gain exclusive access to a wide international selection of product categories, limited time offers, new launches, and get amazing deals and savings socially distanced and safely within the comforts of home.
Prime Day kicks off on 21 June and runs through 22 June, offering Prime members the chance to spend less and cash in more savings.
For more information on Prime Day, click here.