Facebook Thailand today hosted a Future of Shopping virtual event highlighting the new ways Thais are discovering and purchasing products online during the pandemic, and how consumers are gravitating towards its latest tools to do so, including Facebook Shops, Live Shopping, and Augmented Reality (AR).
The new insights reflected Facebook’s ongoing investment in connecting people to what they love and enabling commerce to help businesses stay resilient during the pandemic, as they continue to shift online while restrictions limit in-person interactions.
With 3.3 billion people and 200 million businesses using Facebook’s family of apps globally every month, Facebook continues to be a leading source of connection and discovery for Thais who are seeking stimulating encounters that are creative and convenient.
Prae Dumrongmongcolgul, Country Director of Facebook Thailand, highlighted the importance of this shift in the online shopping experience during the event while unveiling a new Facebook study, “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen that 86% of online shoppers globally, who use Facebook’s family of apps weekly, end up buying products they discover on our platform. This shows that people have moved from ‘going shopping’ to ‘always shopping’: people are no longer limited to finding the products they already know they want. Through discovery commerce and seamless shopping solutions, people can easily discover and buy the things they are most likely to love.”
Businesses are also looking to keep meaningful connections with customers over the coming months and Thailand’s digital consumers are providing a glimpse into the future of shopping, according to a new study launched by Facebook Thailand’s Country Director during the event.
From ‘Hi’ to ‘Buy’: The Importance of Purchase Discovery and Conversational Commerce
With consumers gravitating towards more experience-driven and convenient shopping journeys, early adopters in fast growing markets such as Thailand are providing clear insight into the future of shopping and how it is bridging the gap between the retail experience and digital commerce.
To better understand this trend, Facebook and Ipsos surveyed 1,500 people aged 18-64 who are monthly users of at least one messaging app in Thailand and the study titled ‘State of Connective Media: Business Messaging’ found that purchase discovery and conversational commerce have become an integral part of the online customer journey, as COVID-19 pushes local businesses to shift online and provide engaging experiences.
The study learned that as more Thai consumers rely on digital channels for their shopping, so do their interactions with businesses online. Consumers are becoming more open and comfortable being part of these experiences, with 8 out of 10 Thai Gen Zs and Millennials preferring to contact businesses via messaging apps, and 4 in 5 Thai respondents saying they feel closer to businesses after interacting with them through chat.
This reflects consumers’ growing interest in immersive shopping experiences that invite participation and foster connections. 65% of Thai respondents previously said they have tried Live Shopping over the past year, with 28% having purchased through Live Shopping in the last year and, of those who did, 84% continue to do so monthly – with 9 out of 10 Thais (92%) surveyed expecting to increase their Live Shopping in the coming year.
New technologies like augmented reality and video are also becoming fundamental parts of the shopping experience for consumers, with 88% of Thais both suggesting AR has enhanced their digital experience and hoping to see these features from brands.
Meanwhile, conversational commerce has become an integral part of the entire shopping experience, with 83% messaging businesses in the pre-purchase phase, 70% while purchasing and 58% post-purchase.
From discovery to post-purchase customer service, chatting through platforms like Messenger from Facebook has developed into a viable end-to-end purchasing channel, meaning businesses can personally guide customers through the entire purchase journey without ever having to leave the chat.
Investing in personalized commerce technologies
The Future of Shopping virtual conference also showcased how Facebook is responding to Thai business needs and investing in new tools and technologies that connect businesses to customers and drive more discovery and consideration for products and services.
These include the recent launch of Facebook Shops in Thailand, empowering business owners to easily set up powerful, seamless online stores on Facebook and Instagram. With over 1.2 million monthly active Facebook Shops and over 300 million monthly Shops visitors globally, Thai businesses can further become discoverable to local and international customers alike. Along with Shops, Facebook’s Shops Ads Solutions, Product Tags and Custom Audiences provide enhanced, personalized shopping experiences, meaning the right audiences with relevant interests are discovering their preferred products.
Moreover, Facebook is developing new technologies to lay the foundation for the way people will shop in the future, with the announcement of APIs for Messenger and Instagram to make it easier for businesses and customers to converse, Instagram Visual Search for Shopping, and Augmented Reality ads that encourage people to “try-on” products of interest.
Facebook Business Partners like Kaojao help Thai businesses achieve conversational commerce success – leveraging the latest solutions to create more efficient, fun and seamless shopping experiences.
Taking your business to the next level with the commerce solutions of tomorrow
Today’s event was also joined by Kaojao, a leading digital commerce solutions provider and Facebook Business Partner who helps businesses scale on social media with the development of automated experiences for Messenger, Live Shopping support, and set up of tailored Facebook Shops.
During the discussion, Kaojao delved into how they have successfully helped businesses grow to handle larger orders and enquiries by leveraging Facebook platforms and highlighted the importance of businesses using the latest technologies and solutions to become more efficient and make their shopping experiences more fun and seamless.
Kaojao’s Chief Operating Officer, Natthapa Srimongkol, shared, “Facebook and Instagram have become must-have channels for Thai business, as the platforms allow companies to reach customers worldwide and grow – and their leading features make it easy to engage, connect and create meaningful experiences with the right customers. It is essential for businesses – especially those wishing to scale their success – to lay the right foundation and invest in tools that ensure smooth and seamless customer experiences.”
Prae Dumrongmongcolgul concluded, “We are undergoing an evolution in the way people experience and seek to interact with brands online. Value-added services offered by Facebook Business Partners like Kaojao are playing a more important role in Thailand’s shopping ecosystem. With the commerce landscape becoming more competitive and complex than ever before, we at Facebook continue to invest in enabling business on our platforms and creating new ways for people to connect with what they love.”
