Global Marketing News – 11th December 2015
International beats local in Vietnamese ecommerce
Foreign online retailers are pushing out local players in the Vietnamese ecommerce market.
According to research by the Vietnam Ecommerce Association, the most popular ecommerce sites in the country are Lazada, Sendo and Zalora, the former and latter of which are owned by the German company Rocket Internet.
Their dominance in the country is attributable to their slick marketing campaigns that have convinced consumers of their trustworthiness, a big factor with many Vietnamese internet users being reluctant to spend online because of security concerns.
Online shoppers in the country have significant anxieties about paying online, with the vast majority, 80%, choosing the cash-on-delivery payment option. Many shoppers also have concerns about the quality of products they buy online.
The report recommends that any online stores wanting to target the region should invest in marketing campaigns to convince online shoppers of the quality and security of their ecommerce platform, as well as investing in warehouse facilities.
Alibaba to launch Hindi SME support service
Alibaba is to launch a Hindi version of its SMILE initiative.
The initiative provides financing, logistics, technology and certifications support to small to medium sized businesses, helping them to export their products internationally.
It launched in India earlier this year in July but the portal was written in English.
The Hindi version is set to launch in the next few months, although an exact launch date has not yet been announced.
The English language portal has already attracted 4.5 million small to medium sized Indian businesses, and Alibaba hopes that the Hindi launch will help to boost this number further.
A recent report by Goldman Sachs predicted that the Indian ecommerce market will be worth over 100 billion US dollars by 2020.
Mobile commerce growing rapidly in China
Mobile commerce is growing rapidly in China as smartphone penetration in the country soars.
Tencent and Alibaba are fierce rivals in the Chinese mobile payments market, with their online wallets WeChat Pay and Alipay both proving popular in the country.
Younger people are embracing mobile commerce at a faster rate than older people.
Recent research by Coupofy has revealed that mobile ecommerce is growing 300% faster than desktop ecommerce worldwide.
With 86% of China’s 650 million internet users going online using their smartphones, mobile marketing has become hugely important when targeting Chinese consumers.
Ecommerce in Nigeria and South Africa
The rising popularity of cross-border ecommerce in Africa could help to grow the South African ecommerce market, according to research by Ipsos.
The study looked at online shopping in South Africa and Nigeria, with these two countries being highlighted as the two countries with the highest proportions of online shoppers amongst internet-connected citizens.
89% of Nigerians with internet access engage in ecommerce, along with 70% of South Africans with an internet connection.
The data showed that Nigeria’s higher rates of ecommerce compared to South Africa were correlated with a higher rate of mobile and internet penetration in the country.
The report predicted that as mobile and internet penetration rose in South Africa to similar levels, ecommerce levels would also rise.
The research also revealed that one third of Nigerians with an internet connection are buying from South African ecommerce sites, showing the huge potential of cross-border ecommerce in the emerging South African market.
Apple launches Arabic Siri
And finally, Apple has launched a version of its virtual assistant Siri that speaks and understands Arabic.
The assistant is targeted at the Saudi Arabian and UAE markets. Although other Arabic speakers can theoretically use the app, it may have trouble understanding other dialects.
Apple iPhones account for just 17% of the Middle Eastern smartphone market, and Apple hopes that the launch of its Arabic-speaking Siri will encourage more people in the region to buy their products.
This version of Siri will be available on iPhones, iPads and Apple watches.
Webcertain’s global marketing news bulletins are daily 5-minute videos, providing marketers with the latest international digital marketing news in an easy-to-digest format.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Gemma Houghton
Latest posts by Gemma Houghton (see all)
- Watch the recording: How to identify and seize growth opportunities in international markets - April 20, 2022
- International marketing recruitment: How to drive global growth amid The Great Resignation - February 23, 2022
- 5 trends to include in your 2022 international digital marketing strategy - December 21, 2021
