Study: Two in three APAC online shoppers say next-day delivery is important

With the rise in social commerce, online consumers today do not lack options and often seek more control over their purchases. Asia-Pacific (APAC) shoppers, especially, want to have multiple delivery options and the ability to track their parcels in real time. 

More than two in three online shoppers in APAC agree that next-day delivery is important to them, with 74% in Thailand and 72% in India saying so.

When it comes to delivery preferences, nine in 10 shoppers in India (89%), Malaysia (89%) and Thailand (94%) favour home delivery, reflecting a strong preference for convenience. This is according to a recent global study by DHL eCommerce titled "2024 Online shopper trends report". 

While next-day delivery is becoming increasingly popular, the report also found that alternative delivery options are on the rise. This is especially when the item is already out for delivery.

In fact, most online purchases claim that it is important to have the option of re-directing their parcel to a safe space, neighbour, parcel locker, pick-up point or changing the delivery day as it enhances flexibility and convenience. 

Don't miss: Study: 54% of consumers expect to increase cross-border shopping 

Additionally, 86% of consumers in APAC expect end-to-end tracking on international orders, underscoring the need for real-time visibility and control in the delivery process. They also listed "quick delivery time" and "real-time tracking" as the top two factors key to improving their delivery experience. 

According to the report, free returns are also increasingly influencing APAC shoppers when deciding where to buy, as 43% of consumers in the region will only shop with retailers that offer free return options. On top of that, 67% of APAC online shoppers prefer that a return label is included in their parcel if they need to return an item, with Thai and Indian shoppers leading in 71% and 70%. 

Across the APAC region, 76% of consumers shop from online shops in other countries at least once a month. An additional 30% do so once a week.

India leads the world in cross-border purchases with 38% of Indian shoppers making international purchases at least once a week. This trend echoes across Malaysia with 80%, Thailand (80%), China (75%) and Australia (75%), who make international purchases at least once a month. 

This frequency is expected to escalate with 37% of respondents indicating that they will buy more online from non-local shops in the next 12 months, said the report. 

However, the report also found that fear of fraud remains a barrier for at least one in two APAC shoppers. Malaysians are most concerned about fraud risks, which includes worries around the authenticity of the sellers and the security of transactions. 

To overcome this concern, businesses must prioritise secure payment systems, transparent shipping information and reliable delivery processes to build trust and encourage repeat purchases, revealed the report. 

At the same time, businesses and e-tailers must be able to recognise what online shoppers value most. 

This follows a recent trend where 54% of global consumers are expecting to increase their cross-border purchasing over the next six to twelve months. However, flexibility and transparency in the digital payment experience is necessary to make that happen.

This is according to global payments and financial platform Airwallex's recent Cross-border eCommerce report. 

To increase cross-border spend, trust in personal data security is key. This is because 61% of consumers perceive international merchants to be trustworthy, while 65% expressed confidence in the security of their personal and financial information when buying from international markets. 

When it comes to international merchants, China was the top country that consumers from the United States (41%), Singapore (35%) and the UK (35%) shopped internationally from. 

Meanwhile, shipping costs and transparency are ranked as the most important factors when evaluating the shipping policy of an international merchant (41%) while lengthy refund processing times represent the most prominent challenge for consumers (47%).

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