MasterCard survey shows growing trend of online shopping

MANILA, Philippines - Online shopping is gaining popularity in emerging markets across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMPEA), according to the results of a recent MasterCard survey on online shopping.

Results of the fourth survey on online shopping conducted by MasterCard revealed a narrowing gap between emerging and mature markets in APMEA with consumers turning to online shopping sites for event tickets, online gaming, downloading music, purchasing books, and for travel (airline websites).

The MasterCard survey also uncovered a growing trend among APMEA consumers using their mobile phones to access the Internet, represented by 19 percent of respondents in 2010 versus eight percent in 2009.

Leading the trend of mobile Internet access in APMEA are 39 percent of consumers in South Africa, 33 percent in Singapore, 25 percent in India, 25 percent in Indonesia, 20 percent in Malaysia, 20 percent in Thailand and 20 percent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Online shopping is growing in emerging markets like Malaysia (55 percent in 2010 from 33 percent in 2009), which is now comparable to Australia (58 percent in 2010 from 63 percent in 2009), according to respondents who access the Internet to shop.

The report also indicated an increase in the UAE (42 percent in 2010 from 29 percent in 2009) among the percentage of respondents accessing the Internet for shopping.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 3 to Oct. 1, 2010 and reached 8,500 consumers from 15 markets across APMEA.