Shoppers Aren't the Same Everywhere
By Al McClain
While it's no surprise that some people love to shop and some people hate to shop, it may surprise you to learn that U.S. consumers do not enjoy "recreational" shopping as much as those in some parts of the world, according to an online ACNielsen study. In fact, while 74 percent of the world's consumers admit to shopping as entertainment, those shoppers most likely to do so are largely in the Asia-Pacific region.
For Americans, 68 percent say they shop when they don't really need anything, while Asia-Pacific shoppers do so 84 percent of the time. And, Asia-Pacific markets make up 9 of the top ten markets for recreational shopping.
ACNielsen Chief Marketing Officer Tom Markert says, "With the emergence of a new middle class and new opportunities for spending in many developing markets in Asia, it's understandable that there is a huge enthusiasm in those regions about shopping – far beyond that of the U.S. consumer, who may have a 'been there, done that' view of the shopping experience."
Recreational shopping is popular across the globe, as more than 50 percent of shoppers shop just for something to do in all 42 markets surveyed. Latin America is strong in this regard, while European customers are the least likely to recreationally shop. Nine of the 10 "worst" recreational shopping markets are in Europe.
TOP RECREATIONAL SHOPPING MARKETS
|
Hong Kong |
93%* |
|
Indonesia |
93 |
|
Singapore |
90 |
|
South Korea |
89 |
|
Philippines |
88 |
|
Malaysia |
88 |
|
Thailand |
86 |
|
UAE |
84 |
|
China |
84 |
|
Taiwan |
83 |
*Combined percentage of respondents who shop "for something to do" twice a week
or more, once a week, once a month, or less than once a month
WORST MARKETS
% saying they never shop unless it's necessary
|
Czech Republic |
50% |
|
Austria |
44 |
|
Hungary |
43 |
|
Portugal |
42 |
|
Spain |
41 |
|
Denmark |
36 |
|
Norway |
35 |
|
Poland |
35 |
|
U.K. |
34 |
|
Brazil |
34 |
The correlation between recreational shopping and personal finances is not obvious, as 44 percent of Asian-Pacific shoppers rated their personal financial outlook as "not so good" or "bad," while for U.S. consumers the figure was only 36 percent. Meanwhile, 70 percent of American shoppers view grocery shopping as a "necessary chore," and 14 percent "loathe" shopping for clothes.
Moderator's comment: Why do you think shopping apparently is a more enjoyable experience in the Asia-Pacific area and Latin America than it is in the U.S. and Europe? What opportunities are there for retailers to put the "fun" back in shopping?
New and different = fun. My guess is there is more "new money" in these areas, and shoppers are seeing new stores and having retail experiences they've never had before. Also, Europe and the U.S. have older populations, and older shoppers may be less inclined to browse or shop too much beyond what's necessary. - Al McClain - Moderator