Welcoming the year 2020 means that we are saying goodbye to the year 2019, but what has been achieved so far? A study by Google and Temasek revealed that as compared to 2015, e-commerce in Thailand has grown by 54%, reaching a total of US$5 billion in 2019. This shows that Thailand e-commerce is growing and is expected to earn US$18 billion by 2025.

In conjunction with Children’s Day 2020, iPrice Group, together with Motherhood Thailand, reviews the online shopping habits of Thai mothers in 2019. Here are 4 interesting highlights from the research:

 Thai mothers do their research before purchasing online

Our study reveals that 45.1% of Thai mothers at ages 25-34 scour the internet for product information before making a purchase in online sites. Meanwhile, 19.92% of mothers at ages 35-44 and 18.61% of mothers at ages 18-24 would do the same.

On the other hand, we’ve also compared male and female buyers, and our study revealed a slight difference between the two. 57.48% of women and 42.52% of men would do research before making a purchase. The higher percentage of female buyers may indicate that more mothers are likely to seek information and do the decision-making. Meanwhile, fathers are usually assumed to be responsible for product payments, but with discounts offered during the payment process, which is exclusively for new users, this may encourage both parents in the family to have their own accounts to get the same promo twice.

Our study reveals that 45.1% of Thai mothers at ages 25-34 scour the internet for product information before making a purchase in online sites. Meanwhile, 19.92% of mothers at ages 35-44 and 18.61% of mothers at ages 18-24 would do the same.

 ‘Feeding’ devices is their most purchased category in online websites

Attention to hygiene is of utmost importance when it comes to feeding devices such as pacifiers, bottles, bibs, and others. To ensure the cleanliness of these feeding devices, it is recommended to change them often, especially when it gets even the slightest contamination of dirt and other chemicals. Moreover, as children grow, it is also important to replace the feeding devices with items that are suitable for their age. Hence, these reasons may be why 20.18% of online purchases were allocated to feeding devices, especially since online shops offer a wider variety of products.

The next most purchased category is bathing equipment (14.88%). With more options available and with low shipping fees from overseas, most parents prefer to shop online than offline. In addition to that, items such as strollers and car seats for babies are big in size and difficult to transport. Extra benefits such as warranties are also given to certain models in online stores, making it the third highest (14.67%) most purchased product category online. As a result, most parents prefer to purchase online for the convenience of it. Furthermore, buyers can also get detailed information about the product functions in online stores.

Diapers are also found to be the most purchased product online, making 12.69% of the purchases. Purchasing diapers in physical stores are not as convenient as purchasing these online if you buy them in bulk. In general, consumers prefer to purchase items in bulk online.

“Cash on Delivery” payment is becoming more popular in Thailand

Payment through cash on delivery (COD) is gaining popularity among Thailand customers as 26.21% of them prefer this payment method. This payment method allows customers to feel secure with their money. On the other hand, our study reveals that 63.72% of Thai buyers prefer credit or debit card payments because sometimes, it provides an installment plan option, making it the most popular payment method in Thailand. Lastly, only 10.07% of online payments were made through online banking.

 Mothers in Chiang Mai are the third largest online buyers in Thailand

As the capital city of Thailand, it is certain that Bangkok and its nearby provinces will have the most online buyers (38.55%). With the best infrastructure and tech services in the country, it comes to know surprise that its inhabitants are more drawn to purchase online.

Interestingly enough, our study reveals that Chiang Mai, which is located far away from Bangkok, is found to have the third largest online buyer in Thailand with 6.96%.

 Methodology

Data featured in this study was supported by the websites motherhood.co.th and story.motherhood.co.th about the purchasing behavior of Thai parents in 2019.

Written by Vivien Jane Kiong, iPrice Group