Recently, Ipsos released the result of its survey that shows some things about the behavior of internet user in Indonesia in shopping online. Ipsos is an independent market research company run by professional researchers. Founded in France, it now has offices in 84 countries.
The survey says that 69% of internet users in Indonesia do a web search to find the product that they want to buy, and 48% from total count of respondents purchase goods online, the count is 44% for Indonesia.
Trust
Looking for information includes comparing prices as a common process done by prospective buyers in online shopping. Even though the survey says that respondents gather information on the product they want to buy, it is not mentioned in details about what kind of information gathering done by these buyers. Are they using search engine or looking directly and comparing from online stores, marketplace or forum; or do they ask their friends or considering other people’s opinion or find things by themselves in the web.
Amidst the height of fears of many things in online shopping, as reflected from Markplus’ research findings, that there are several reasons why internet users avoid shopping online: fear of fraud, inconsistency, quality, uninteresting and other reasons related to product, this kind of information search becomes reasonable. It could be that not only for the sake of comparing prices and looking for product information but also to gather other information related to trust.
Although the development of shopping via internet continues to grow, it looks like the consumer behavior and potential consumer haven’t change much. Online trading service keeps growing but consumer behavior stays the same. The stagnant consumer behavior can be seen in the result of DailySocial research last year. The research suggests that one of the things that need to be enhanced by e-commerce/online trading players is a matter of consumer trust.
Search Result
On the other hand, Ipsos survey result can also be an opportunity for local services in helping the process of product search. Some have taken this opportunity, such as PriceArea and Telunjuk that can provide assistance to online prospective buyer in comparing and looking for the item that they need. In addition, marketplace service or online store as well as forum that accommodate trading by themselves, also should increase their search facility. Just like what Rama has said, a search is an important thing that must be owned internally by each service.
Ipsos survey result also shows internet users interest to make purchases online, although for Indonesia, the process still has to use a combination of online payment and through money transfer via ATM. Substantially, it can be expected that many more will do payment using online facility. Two large local banks have released their products by cooperating with several online stores/marketplace. Other payment services are also competing to give their best features.
The problem can now be shifted to other subject; after finding the product that they want, will they make the purchase? Or internet is used only as a way to search for information and the purchasing still done offline? The survey result above provides opportunity to continue to be utilized. Nearly half of respondents of the survey stated that they buy goods/service online and the result for Indonesia is relatively large. It may be that no matter how they do the payment as long as the process remains online.
The condition can be turn to this, while waiting for the adaptation of online payment to be used more frequently by consumer, while waiting for payment service to be used by more merchants, while waiting for consumer behavior to shift to more usage of online payment, the main thing that needs to be done by e-commerce player/marketplace or online trading site is to provide convenience; for consumer, providing convenience in searching and finding the goods they want in the internet and enable them to purchase things. For sellers, it is required that convenience in providing the service to the consumers and maximize sales.
Note:
The survey included respondents from 24 countries. 500 respondents from Indonesia took the survey conducted in early February. More details about the survey can be found here.
Markplus data source is Marketeers magazine, April 2012 issue.
