As the holiday season approaches, APAC’s e-commerce landscape buzzes with the excitement of mega sales days like 12.12 and Christmas. Yet, amidst intensifying competition, brands need more than just discounts to capture attention. Consumers today crave authentic, personalized, and engaging shopping experiences. Antoine Gross, General Manager for SEA at impact.com, shares actionable strategies to decode shifts in consumer behavior, embrace influencer-led campaigns, and leverage first-party data for impactful results.
What key shifts in consumer behavior across APAC have you observed this year, and what trends should brands prioritize as they approach the holiday sales season?
With click-through rates dropping below 0.5%, younger, mobile-first consumers are increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising formats like static banners and pop-ups. Instead, they now seek engaging, immersive experiences that emphasize authenticity, convenience, and personalization.
This shift has accelerated the rise of influencer-led and experience-based marketing strategies, particularly during peak shopping periods. The APAC influencer advertising market, projected to reach $22.3 billion in 2024 with a 10.4% annual growth rate, underscores the importance of trusted voices in cutting through the noise. For holiday campaigns, authentic, real-time interactions—such as live-streaming commerce and short-form video content—create a sense of urgency and excitement, especially among digitally savvy younger audiences.
To maximize holiday success, brands must go beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and embrace strategies tailored to APAC’s cultural diversity. For instance, regional micro-influencers who deeply understand their communities can offer a scalable yet personal way to connect with consumers during key events like Singles’ Day, Christmas, and local festivals.
Localized storytelling is another powerful tool for engaging audiences. By weaving culturally relevant narratives into live-stream commerce or short-form video campaigns—and pairing them with holiday-specific promotions—brands can resonate more deeply with their target audiences. Meeting consumers in spaces where they actively seek value and authenticity not only enhances holiday results but also lays the groundwork for sustained loyalty.
With competition at its peak, what strategies would you recommend for brands to differentiate themselves beyond just offering discounts?
With competition at its peak, brands must move beyond standard discounts to create meaningful differentiation. Engaging strategies like exclusive offers, limited-edition products, and gamified shopping experiences are highly effective, particularly for mobile-first audiences. In Southeast Asia, gamified campaigns integrated with influencer content have driven up to a 30% increase in engagement, according to the eCommerce Influencer Marketing Report published by Cube Asia and impact.com.
Building deeper connections through referral programs can also be transformative. Rewarding loyal customers with tangible perks or early product access to bring in friends and family fosters trust and amplifies word-of-mouth advocacy. This is especially relevant in Southeast Asia, where trust-driven marketing significantly influences consumer decisions. In fact, a recent research report in Singapore revealed that 83% of consumers say a recommendation or referral from someone they know is important in their buying decision, underscoring the power of word-of-mouth marketing in shaping consumer behavior.
Finally, collaborating with nano and micro-influencers to host live Q&As or product demos adds authenticity and relatability. 82% of consumers in the region have purchased products recommended by influencers, demonstrating their role in building credibility and driving sales. These strategies enhance engagement and create a sense of community, cultivating lasting loyalty and a strong brand connection.
How can brands effectively leverage first-party data to optimize their ad campaigns during mega-sales events and beyond?
Brands can maximize first-party data by collecting insights from owned channels like websites, apps, and retail media networks and consolidating them into a CRM system. Salesforce research shows companies with advanced CRM tools are 38% more likely to hit sales targets.
According to Insider Intelligence, retail media networks are projected to drive over $50 billion in global ad spend by 2024. These platforms help brands to connect with high-intent shoppers at the point of purchase, offering precise targeting and personalized offers that enhance mega-sale effectiveness.
First-party data also supports advanced segmentation and retargeting. Based on AppsFlyer study, insights like cart abandonment and browsing behavior can inform campaigns, with retargeting achieving up to 10x higher conversion rates, as seen in APAC. By integrating this data into tailored strategies, brands can drive results, foster loyalty, and maintain a competitive edge.
What are some best practices for delivering a seamless mobile shopping experience during sales periods?
Delivering a seamless mobile shopping experience during sales periods requires a focus on user-friendly design and tailored functionality. Start by optimizing product pages to be both informative and visually engaging. Include concise, compelling product descriptions that highlight key benefits and features upfront. Pair these with high-quality images offering zoom functionality or 360-degree views to give shoppers a closer look at the product, improving purchase confidence.
Social media integration is crucial, particularly in APAC, where platforms like Instagram Shopping and the emerging YouTube Shopping are gaining popularity for product discovery and purchases. Live commerce, powered by influencer partnerships, creates an interactive, real-time shopping experience that profoundly resonates with mobile-first audiences and drives conversions.
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Equally essential is streamlining navigation and checkout. The mobile experience should be intuitive, requiring minimal steps to complete a purchase. Offering localized payment methods such as GrabPay and ShopBack Pay, along with installment plans, boosts convenience, accessibility, and trust among consumers.
Lastly, ensure your mobile site is fast, responsive, and reliable, especially during high-traffic periods. Quick-loading pages and seamless performance minimize frustration, encouraging repeat purchases and fostering long-term loyalty. These practices collectively create a frictionless shopping journey, transforming sales periods into powerful growth opportunities.
Are there any other innovative strategies you believe are crucial for brands to succeed this holiday season?
To thrive this holiday season, brands must embrace innovative strategies that align with shifting consumer behaviors. Social commerce is a key driver of e-commerce growth in Southeast Asia, where over 90% of internet users access the web via smartphones. According to Reuters, platforms like Instagram Shopping and YouTube Shopping are becoming vital for product discovery, with YouTube’s partnership with Shopee enabling direct purchases and expanding into Thailand and Vietnam. Influencer collaborations enhance live commerce and create real-time, interactive shopping experiences that deeply engage mobile-first audiences.
AI-driven personalization is another game-changer. According to McKinsey, personalization powered by AI can boost revenues by 10% to 15%, with some brands seeing gains as high as 25%. Virtual influencers, also AI-powered, are helping brands connect with younger audiences, aligning messaging with cultural values to build trust and relatability.
The Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) model rounds out these strategies, allowing brands to bypass platform fees while taking greater control of the customer journey. DTC channels enable refined experiences, personalized offers, and deeper loyalty. This model also facilitates better data collection, strengthening targeted marketing and profit margins.
By integrating social commerce, AI personalization, and DTC strategies, brands can create meaningful connections, drive engagement, and seize growth opportunities this holiday season.
What are your recommended strategies for brands to set themselves apart without relying on discounts?
To truly stand out, brands should prioritize creating exclusivity and excitement. Offering limited-edition products or time-sensitive deals can stimulate urgency and drive participation. Gamification, through interactive challenges or rewards, can enhance the shopping experience, making it both enjoyable and memorable.
Referral programs are another effective strategy. Incentivizing loyal customers to refer friends and family can build stronger relationships and expand the customer base. This not only rewards loyalty but also turns customers into long-term advocates.
Influencer collaborations are key for authenticity. Younger consumers, especially, value relatable and genuine content over traditional advertising. When influencers share authentic stories about a product, they cultivate trust, which resonates more deeply than direct sales tactics.
As APAC’s e-commerce market evolves, brands must align with emerging consumer preferences and prioritize authentic engagement over traditional sales tactics. By leveraging influencer marketing, personalized strategies, and innovative tools like gamification and referral programs, brands can create memorable experiences and lasting consumer relationships. This holiday season, the brands that stand out will be those that combine creativity with a deep understanding of their audience, setting the stage for sustained success in the year ahead.
