Nielsen: APAC leading the way in mcommerce expansion

ASIA-PACIFIC - Mcommerce is on the rise worldwide, but nowhere more so than Asia-Pacific, according to Nielsen in its latest study on consumer mobile purchasing and usage behaviour.

The report, which polled online consumers in 63 countries worldwide, found that Asia-Pacific respondents self-reported the highest usage of mobile purchasing activities.

While the global average of respondents who said they have purchased a product or service on their mobiles in the last six months was 38 percent, China (50 percent), India (49 percent), South Korea (47 percent) and Vietnam (46 percent) all exceeded that figure. The same countries top the list of respondents who made a purchase via a mobile app, all topping 40 percent.

Asia-Pacific also reported the highest usage of mobile banking activities, although the leading countries in this category are diverse. Many are developing nations with large unbanked populations, including China, South Africa, Indonesia and Venezuela, but also include more mature markets such as Sweden.

Moreover, while only 28 percent of global respondents said they were highly likely to use mobile payments in bars, restaurants and retail stores, that number jumps to 46 percent in India—the highest—and 45 percent in China.

“Mobile commerce has enormous implications for the entire retail ecosystem,” said Stuart Tagg, financial services leader at Nielsen Europe. “Mobile devices are not only bringing new consumers into the modern, connected economy, but are also enabling a more customised experience, as products and services can be more closely tailored to behaviours, needs and preferences.

“But driving higher adoption and usage starts when companies develop a deep understanding of how consumers are shopping and transacting in a digital world and then use that understanding to design strategies around their habits and preferences.”

More infographics from the Nielsen Mobile Money study follow: