More shopping online, says MasterCard

More shopping online, says MasterCard
By Mustafa Shafawi | Posted: 10 January 2011 1615 hrs

SINGAPORE : Nearly two-thirds or 64 per cent of respondents in a MasterCard survey said they now shop online, up from 56 per cent last year.

Singaporean women continued to out-shop their male counterparts

Nearly 7 in 10 or 68 per cent of female respondents said they shopped online, compared to 6 in 10 male respondents.

Female online shoppers also purchased an average of 5 items online in the last three months, more than the male shoppers' average of 4.2 items.

The most common items purchased online remained the same as previous years.

They include airline tickets (52%), hotel accommodations (43%), movie or concert tickets (41%), clothing and accessories (36%) and books & art (25%).

MasterCard country manager for Singapore, Julienne Loh said the steady increase in the popularity of online shopping is backed by high levels of broadband and mobile connectivity as consumers proactively seek more personal and convenient ways to shop.

Consumers in Singapore who did not make any purchases online in the last three months cited a preference to shop in-store with physical products as the primary reason for not shopping online.

Respondents were also surveyed on their online shopping habits through mobile phones for the first time.

12 per cent of respondents in Singapore made purchases on their mobile phones in the last three months.

- CNA /ls

- wong chee tat :)