1. Unique online shopping methods
Thai consumers like online shopping because it is very convenient and can save time and money. Thai consumers save money on online shopping in the following three ways:
(1) Large-scale promotional season
Chinese online shoppers usually choose to go crazy during large-scale promotional seasons such as “Double Eleven”. In Thailand, the best time to shop online is the “Amazing Grand Sale” held from mid-June to mid-August. During this period, almost all e-commerce platforms (such as Lazada) will launch a large number of promotional activities and flash sales, and the discounts are said to be the lowest in the year, stimulating consumers’ desire to buy through low prices.
(2) Credit card cash back discount
Currently, some banks that issue credit cards in Thailand will provide cash back discounts when consumers choose to pay online. Consumers can choose to get extra discounts in multiple stores when shopping online. In order to cater to this promotional activity, some e-commerce platforms will choose a specific day of the week. If consumers make purchases, they will receive specific bank discounts.
(3) Make full use of coupons
Using coupons to deduct money when shopping online is a “routine operation” for Chinese consumers, but it is still a new thing for consumers in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. In order to make Thai consumers think that shopping online is more cost-effective, some websites will provide some shopping coupons. Some of these coupons are only applicable to specific products, while others can be used throughout the store.
2. Consumption trends in the Thai market
Clothing is the most popular category in the Thai market, followed by: personal care products (39.4%), cosmetics (36.8%), technology products (excluding computers and mobile devices) (30.0%), and travel products (20.2%). In 2017, the top 10 most popular products purchased online by Thais were:
(1) Household products grew fastest, reaching 24%;
(2) Food, beverages and alcohol grew by about 21%;
(3) Children’s and baby products, electronic products grew by 16%;
(4) Tickets for large events grew by 15%;
(5) Leisure products, such as sports equipment, toys, collectibles, artworks, health and beauty products, and travel and tour supplies grew by 14%;
(6) Clothes, shoes and fashion products grew by 11%.
In addition, it cannot be ignored that in Thailand, men are 70% more likely to buy beauty products than women. In terms of consumer preferences, a statistical survey of Thai preferences found that Thais prefer golden and highly saturated rainbow colors for packaging. Thai consumers love Hawaiian-style clothing and retro prints. In addition, novel and unique sunglasses, necklaces, earrings and bracelets with bright colors are also the favorites of Thai consumers.
3. Thailand’s festival marketing worth paying attention to
All major festivals are good times for promotion. In addition to “Double Eleven”, during Thailand’s Mother’s Day (August), sellers can promote women’s clothing and some health products; during Thailand’s unique Loy Krathong Festival (November), sellers can promote men’s and women’s keepsakes and daily necessities; Thailand’s National Day and Father’s Day are both in December, and the whole country will have a three-day holiday. Sellers can start with these three festivals to promote the corresponding products.
4. Taboos for local promotion in Thailand
Thailand is a devout Buddhist country, and it is also a country with very distinct regional characteristics and unique ethnic customs. There are many taboos for local promotion in Thailand. For example, the royal family is a highly sensitive place, so the promotional subject must avoid the Thai royal family. Similar sensitive topics include Buddhist temples, halal, and the military; drugs, red pen signatures, and images of stroking the head are absolutely prohibited. In addition, special attention should be paid to important religious festivals in Thailand.
As a part of the Southeast Asian market, the rise of the Thai e-commerce market has attracted attention. The continuous development of the cross-border e-commerce industry has brought more development opportunities to many Chinese sellers.