Already over 30% of PricePanda’s South East Asia traffic is directed via mobile devices
Berlin 3rd July 2014, Rocket Internet’s leading price comparison platform, PricePanda (www.pricepanda.com), has released a succinct infographic detailing percentages of visits the South East Asian platforms receive from mobile sources (both smartphone and tablet), plus mobile Facebook and Google referrals. The rapidly growing M-commerce trend is under the spotlight yet again thanks to last week’s Google I/O announcement of Android One – an initiative aimed at launching low-cost smartphones in emerging markets.
As local South East Asian smartphone brands such as Cherry Mobile (PH), Ninetology (MY) and SmartFren (ID) gain a significant portion of the market share and continue to grow, global competitors such as Samsung are beginning to feel the push.
According to recent GfK data released 5th June, smartphones selling in SEA for less than USD100 had the strongest growth, equivalent to over 30 percent of the region’s sales in the first quarter. Malaysia and Indonesia are the biggest markets for ‘phablets’, with Indonesian consumers buying over 7.3 million units in the same period – two-fifths of SEA total smartphone sales.
The report also states that: “In value terms, the [smartphone] generated nearly USD4.2 billion within January to March this year—25 percent more compared to a year ago […] smartphone take-up has passed the halfway mark in the overall handset market which includes basic feature phones, making up 55 percent in March 2014 across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.”
For the majority of those living in emerging economies, a broadband connection in the home is still a far-off reality, resulting in the increased availability of low-cost smartphones and tablets, as well as affordable mobile data plans. PricePanda data also found that while desktop use is most popular during the working work, there is a sharp spike in mobile visits during weekends. In a global first, we are now seeing a generation growing up as primary users of mobile internet, as opposed to laptop or desktop.
The highly sought after emerging M-commerce market share brings with it unique challenges when designing user interfaces, as ultimately it requires optimal browsing and buying functionality within responsive sites and mobile applications.
A challenge that PricePanda co-founder, Christian Schiller, is very familiar with: “We identified the significance of M-commerce early on when entering the South East Asian market, which was why we made the development of our Android and iOS mobile shopping applications such a high priority. We are constantly updating our apps as mobile shopping develops, and of course our web platforms too – both are fundamental services within the region’s thriving e-commerce ecosystem”.
Smartphone Penetration*
Singapore: 72%
Philippines: 38%
Malaysia: 34%
Indonesia: 14%
Moblie Purchase*
Indonesia: 57%
Singapore: 44%
Malaysia: 42%
Philippines: 32%
Mobile**
41% of all visits to PricePanda Singapore come via smartphone and tablet
Indonesia: 28%
Malaysia: 27%
Philippines: 27%
Facebook**
60% of all Facebook traffic to PricePanda Indonesia comes via mobile sources
Singapore: 43%
Malaysia: 35%
Philippines: 29%
Google**
44% of all organic Google search referrals to PricePanda Indonesia come via mobile sources
Singapore: 37%
Malaysia: 35%
Philippines: 27%
* http://think.withgoogle.com/mobileplanet
**Statistics from PricePanda
About PricePanda
PricePanda ( www.pricepanda.com.sg/ ) is the leading price comparison website for emerging markets. It provides users with a transparent overview of prices for the latest gadgets and other products. In addition the PricePanda website displays professional reviews about its listed products as well as shop reviews. PricePanda was founded in 2012 by Christian Schiller and Louis Iskandar and is currently available in Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia,India, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore and the Philippines.
PricePanda is now available on the go via app for all Android and iOS devices.