Malaysia has more sales-seekers, Nielsen reveals

In Nielsen’s 2011 Global Online Shopping and Saving Strategies Survey, the agency revealed that more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of online respondents in Malaysia indicated that they buy items when products are on sale.

The other top four countries for sales-seekers are Turkey and Hungary (both at 77 per cent), as well as Croatia and South Africa (both at 76 per cent).

The survey, involving more than 25,000 internet respondents in 51 countries, shows that purchasing large value packs (46 per cent), shopping at value retailers (45 per cent) and using coupons (43 per cent) are other popular savings strategies employed by Malaysians.

Mukund Tripathi, director of retail measurement services, Nielsen Malaysia, noted that rising fuel prices and an overall higher cost of living have prompted Malaysian consumers to actively search for ways to stretch their money and manage their budgets while intensified competition among hypermarkets has led to Malaysian consumers constantly being invited to participate in sales and promotions.

“This pull factor from the retailers has not only fed the consumer’s desire of buying consumers goods at lower prices, but has also driven them to be more price-sensitive,” he said.

It means, the most influential factor for consumers choosing where to shop is lowest price, with more than three out of five consumers saying that is “highly influential”.

The second-most influential factor is having a convenient location (61 per cent). Great sales or promotions rounds out the top three, with 57 per cent of consumers saying that is an important driver for choosing which store to patronise.

Good value for money and items being regularly in stock are other attributes considered as highly influential by more than half of the respondents.