Asia Pacific shoppers shun high street for Internet

Shoppers in Asia Pacific prefer purchasing online rather than a trip down the high street or mall, according to Visa's recent e-Commerce Tracking study.

by Helen Leggatt

Almost 80% of the 3,000 Internet users surveyed from countries across Asia Pacific - including Singapore, India, Australia, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong - had made an online transaction and spent an average of around $3,000 over the last year.

"With almost four in five Internet users buying online, people in Asia Pacific are taking full advantage of the global shopping experience that the Internet provides," said Mohamad Hafidz, Visa's regional head for e-Commerce in the Asia Pacific.

Japanese and South Korean Internet users were found to be the most frequent online shoppers with 99% and 93% respectively having made a purchase online within the last year. Australians spend the most, with an average spend of around $4,160 over the last 12 months, followed by Singaporeans.

Not all Asian Pacific online shoppers are shopping locally. Visa's survey discovered that 75% of Internet users in Hong Kong had made a purchase from a foreign website.

Tags: Asia Pacific, e-commerce, high street, mall, online shoppers, online spend, Visa