Global Marketing News – 18th February 2016
Study predicts shocking global smartphone numbers by 2020
A study by Baidu has predicted that there will be 6.1 billion smartphone users worldwide by 2020.
The predicted rise means that marketers must increasingly take a mobile-friendly approach if they are to communicate with these people effectively.
The research also found out that 60% of people use smartphones predominately for communication purposes, 23% as a companion, 9% for entertainment purposes and 8% as a social media device.
It also found that around 40% of smartphone users worldwide have 21-50 apps installed on their phone, although this figure dropped to just 6% in Asia where people typically have far fewer apps on their phones.
The current global smartphone penetration rate is 56%, according to separate research by ZenithOptimedia.
eBay Korea pledges to support cross-border ecommerce
The biggest ecommerce site in South Korea, eBay, has pledged to support cross-border ecommerce in the country.
South Korean culture is becoming more popular around the world and therefore international demand for South Korean products is rising.
eBay Korea has English and Chinese language websites targeting foreigners who want to buy South Korean goods.
A spokesperson from eBay Korea commented on the news, saying: “We will help small sellers in [South] Korea…to enter the global markets without significant difficulties.”
The South Korean ecommerce market is worth an estimated 21.9 billion US dollars, and has a digital buyer penetration rate of 75%.
Dutch online TV viewing figures released
The Dutch TV industry body, the SKO, has started releasing online TV viewing figures.
It is the first time in the world that any such figures have been made available, and it has been hailed by digital marketers as a huge opportunity to gain unprecedented insights into the viewing habits of the Dutch public.
The viewing figures are released daily and show how many people are watching programmes online in the Netherlands.
Online TV adverts will be included in the viewing figures within the next few months.
A spokesperson from Dutch TV Broadcasters commented on the news, saying: “SKO now report online video measurement enabling broadcasters to monetize all screens. We are proud to be the first country in the world to report the level of viewing at this granular level.”
Israelis lack local ecommerce options
Israelis are engaging in cross-border ecommerce because there are so few Israeli ecommerce sites.
Just one quarter of Israeli businesses have an ecommerce site, and items normally have lengthy delivery times and costs.
Yet the appetite for online shopping is strong, with a staggering 79% of Israeli internet users buying from foreign online stores, according to a recent study by PayPal and Ipsos, with Chinese, American and British sites being the most popular destinations.
The figures show that in order to avoid losing business abroad, Israeli companies must build their own ecommerce sites and ensure good customer service and speedy deliveries.
One of Israel’s few ecommerce sites, Buy2, recently saw monthly user numbers swell by 55% to 1.4 million people, showing that quality Israeli ecommerce options are appealing to Israeli users.
Lesara launches ecommerce site targeting France
And finally, the German fashion retailer Lesara has launched an ecommerce site targeting France.
The launch of the French site means that Lesara now has access to 66 million new customers.
Lesara now sells affordable, fashionable clothing in 22 European countries.
The European fashion ecommerce market is currently very fragmented, with different retailers coming top in different nations. Recent research by TextMaster and Similar Web revealed that La Redoute is currently the top fashion ecommerce site in France.
The French ecommerce market is worth 43.6 billion US dollars, with a digital buyer penetration rate of 79%.
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