Singaporeans plan to do half their holiday shopping online this year, saving no less than 45 hours of their time, according to a recent PayPal survey.
Shopping online or on mobile devices, which shave a large portion off shopping time, would be welcome among people here because of the busy lives they lead and the hassle of heading to a crowded mall, said the online payment company, as it released the results yesterday.
It had commissioned research firm Gfk to interview 1,000 online shoppers here in two weeks in October. This is the first time this survey had been conducted.
The numbers show that each time Singaporeans shop online instead of going to a mall, they save an average of three hours. They are also expected to shop online an average of 15 times this festive season.
With the time saved by shopping online, 77 per cent of respondents in the survey said they would spend more time with their family, while 69 per cent would use the extra time doing the things they like and 55 per cent intend to hang out more often with friends.
Besides being a time-saver, online shopping has its perks. Singaporeans are not only able to avoid overcrowded shopping malls and traffic, they can also enjoy discounts from United States merchants online during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, which traditionally marks the beginning of the US holiday shopping season.
According to the PayPal survey, the top devices of choice for shopping online are smartphones and tablets, followed by laptops and desktops.
The data also suggests that user-generated content, such as reviews on social media, are key to the buying decisions of Singaporean shoppers, who research extensively online before their purchase.
Shopping deals and promotions on these social networks are also appealing to Singaporean shoppers, with 43 per cent actively searching and redeeming such offers online.
