Chinese and Thai consumers are making more purchases using smartphones than other nationalities in the region according to research.
The MasterCard Online Shopping Survey reveals almost 60% of consumers from China and 51% of those from Thailand purchase via a mobile device.
Other nationalities are not far behind with 48% of Korean consumers, just over 47% of Indians and just under 47% of Indonesians, making purchases via mobile devices.
The countries witnessing the biggest growth rates for mobile shopping are Taiwan, up 17% since 2012 and India up 16.8%.
Convenience, shopping on the go and the increasing availability of mobile applications were cited as the top reasons for mobile shopping.
Clothing and fashion items followed by apps are the top purchases.
Tnooz has requested details of where travel elements such as flights and hotels come in the mobile purchase stakes but earlier MasterCard figures show holidays as a top spending priority for Australians in 2014 with 37% saying a holiday at home and 35% a holiday abroad.
The mobile shopping figures are also supported by eye-watering mobile growth numbers from online travel agencies in the region including China-based Ctrip, which said last year its strategy was to become a mobile travel agent.
The company claims that on peak days 50% of hotel bookings and 30% air come via mobile.
India's MakeMyTrip has also reported mobile growth with one-in-five visitors coming to the site via mobile and even greater volumes for domestic flights and hotels. The OTA also says 10% of domestic flights and 20% of domestic hotels are booked via mobile.
Earlier this month, eLong reported that more than 30% of total hotel nights came via mobile in the final quarter of 2013, up for 25% in Q3. The company has announced a $100 million fund for mobile projects.
The survey also highlights some regional online trends:
- Two-thirds of Asia Pacific consumers go online to shop with almost 100% of Chinese consumers having made a purchase online in the past three months.
- South Korean and Australian consumers are also big online shoppers with 97% and 90% respectively, having made at least one purchase online.
- There has been a rise in the number of Indian consumers going online to shop - from about 53% in 2012 to 80% in 2013. More than 87% of Indian respondents say they have made an online purchase in the past three months compared to almost 71% in 2012.
- Security is cited as a top concern when shopping online for more than 85% of consumers from Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. After security, monetary value of the item (almost 84.8%) and payment method (84.6%) were the next biggest worries.
The MasterCard research was conducted between November and December 2013 with interviews with more than 7,000 respondents in 14 markets.
NB: Mobile users image via Shutterstock.